OAL, the market leader in label and date code verification systems for the food manufacturing sector, has received GS1 UK Approved status for its OAL Connected platform. The certification confirms OAL Connected’s compliance with GS1 standards, marking a major milestone for UK food manufacturers pursuing industry best practice in traceability and data integrity.
GS1 UK’s product approval process involves a detailed technical evaluation of product functionality, including a live system demonstration and documented evidence of compliance with GS1’s published standards. Following this rigorous assessment, OAL Connected has been recognised as meeting the GS1 standards that facilitate packaging verification and traceability.
The solution now carries GS1 UK certification, confirming it meets GS1’s global standards, including support for GTIN, SSCC, GS1 Digital Link, and a wide range of barcode symbologies such as EAN/UPC, GS1-128, and GS1 DataMatrix. These capabilities are increasingly vital as the UK food retail sector begins adopting next-generation barcodes.
OAL’s GS1 UK certification ensures its customers are fully equipped to meet the evolving demands of UK retailers rolling out QR barcodes. Through its OAL Connected platform, manufacturers can now print GS1 Digital Link QR codes inline directly onto product packaging, embedding critical variable data such as expiry dates. This capability is essential as retailers transition to GS1 Digital Link-enabled QR codes, giving consumers access to rich digital content, product information, promotions and sustainability data via a simple smartphone scan. By enabling compliant, dynamic QR code printing, OAL is helping food manufacturers stay ahead of industry standards and retailer expectations.
“This is a proud moment for our team,” comments Jake Norman, Managing Director, OAL. “We built OAL Connected to meet the highest standards of traceability and packaging integrity. Having this independently verified by GS1 UK is fantastic. It’s a big step forward for our customers who rely on us to deliver compliant, robust systems that simplify complexity on their factory floor.”
The approval strengthens OAL’s position as a trusted technology partner to food manufacturers. By aligning with GS1 standards, OAL Connected enables manufacturers to safeguard against mislabelling, streamline digital traceability processes, and ensure seamless data sharing across their value chain.
Anne Godfrey, CEO, GS1 UK added, “We are pleased to approve OAL Connected for its alignment with GS1 standards. Their platform demonstrates the identification and barcode compliance that helps the UK food sector meet growing expectations around traceability, data quality and supply chain transparency.”
GS1 UK Approval is valid for three years and provides assurance that OAL’s platform has been independently tested and approved through GS1 UK’s robust evaluation process.
OAL is running a series of hands-on seminars at its Peterborough HQ, where attendees can see systems in operation and explore how automation can future-proof their packaging and traceability processes.
Visit www.oalgroup.com for more information and connect with OAL on LinkedIn and YouTube.
To register for the next event, visit:
https://www.oalgroup.com/events/automation-seminar-sept-2025