GS1 UAE

What GS1 UAE does

GS1 UAE, legally GS1 Emirates Limited, is the UAE's authorized local member organization of the global GS1 not-for-profit standards body. Founded in 2002 and registered as a Company Limited by Guarantee under Abu Dhabi Global Market regulations, it operates from a registered headquarters in Abu Dhabi (Al Sila Tower, ADGM Square) and a customer service office in Dubai (Dubai Court Complex). The organization issues GS1 Company Prefixes and GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers), the unique identification numbers embedded in EAN/UPC, GS1-128, ITF-14, and 2D barcodes (GS1 DataMatrix, GS1 QR Code) that enable global trade item identification across retail, healthcare, transport and logistics, and technical industries.

The company's product portfolio spans three layers: identification keys (GTIN, GLN, SSCC, GPC), data capture technologies (linear and 2D barcodes plus RFID/EPC), and data sharing standards (GDSN, GS1 EDI, EPCIS). These are delivered through member-facing platforms including the My Numberbank portal for GTIN/GLN assignment, BrandSync for product information management, and Verified by GS1 for barcode-driven product authentication. A specialized Tatmeen licensing SKU supports UAE pharmaceutical traceability compliance for hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, and medical stores. The GS1 Learning Zone provides structured training courses on standards adoption.

GS1 UAE operates a sales-led, membership-based commercial model with turnover-tiered annual subscriptions: Starter (25 GTINs), Premium (100 GTINs), and Business (1,000 GTINs) barcode packages. Membership acquisition runs primarily through the get-a-barcode.gs1ae.org e-commerce portal and the My GS1 self-serve platform, supplemented by webinars, the Annual General Assembly, and industry events such as Gulfood. Named members span enterprise multinationals (Nestlé, L'Oréal, Amazon) and UAE-based brands (Huda Beauty, Danube Group, Neopharma, Swiss Arabian, Jumbo Electronics). The organization has 14 employees and is governed as a member association under its parent GS1 Global, with no disclosed revenue or funding events.

Name

GS1 UAE

Legal name

GS1 Emirates Limited

Website

https://gs1ae.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

GS1 UAE (GS1 Emirates Limited) is the UAE's authorized member organization of global GS1, issuing GTINs, GLNs, and barcode standards to enable product identification, supply chain traceability, and marketplace compliance for retail, healthcare, logistics, and technical industry members.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Abu Dhabi

HQ country

United Arab Emirates

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Barcode/GTIN Membership Licensing: Annual subscription-based licensing fees for GS1 Company Prefix and GTIN allocation. Fee structure is based on company's annual turnover, making it more accessible for smaller businesses. Members receive different barcode packages (25, 100, or 1,000 barcodes) depending on their subscription tier.
2. Tatmeen Traceability Project Licensing: Specialized licensing for entities such as hospitals, pharmacies, clinics and medical stores required to license GS1 Company Prefix and GLN for pharmaceutical traceability in UAE.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

GS1 UAE licenses Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs), barcodes, and related identification standards (GLN, SSCC) to businesses through membership-based annual subscriptions. Members gain access to the My Numberbank portal for GTIN management, BrandSync for product information management, and Verified by GS1 for product identity verification. The organization also provides specialized licensing for pharmaceutical traceability under the Tatmeen project and offers training through the GS1 Learning Zone.

Product overview

GS1 UAE operates as a member organization of the GS1 global standards body, offering a comprehensive suite of barcode standards and product identification services. The portfolio centers on GTIN allocation and barcode issuance (Starter, Premium, Business, and Tatmeen packages) delivered through the My Numberbank online portal. Supporting services include BrandSync for product information management, Verified by GS1 for identity verification, and various tools (Check Digit Calculator, GTIN Estimator). The standards framework spans identification keys (GTIN, GLN, SSCC, GPC), data capture technologies (EAN/UPC, GS1-128, ITF-14, GS1 DataMatrix, GS1 QR Code, RFID), and data sharing standards (GDSN, GS1 EDI, EPCIS). Training is delivered through the GS1 Learning Zone with structured course catalogs. The ecosystem enables product identification, traceability, and interoperable data exchange across global supply chains for retail, healthcare, transport & logistics, and technical industries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) Unique identification numbers assigned to trade items (products), enabling global identification across all industries and supply chain partners. Also known as EAN or UPC depending on geographic market. Sold to businesses needing product identification for retail and online marketplace compliance.
• My Numberbank Online portal enabling companies to assign and manage GS1 Keys (GTINs, GLNs, GTIN-14s), create barcodes, and store product data in a single secure location. Automatically calculates check digits and ensures compliance with GS1 standards.
• BrandSync Collaborative product information and management hub that stores and organizes product data, manages digital assets, and enables distribution of product content across multiple retail channels in standardized formats. ISO 27001 certified.
• Verified by GS1 Product identity verification service allowing users to type in a barcode number and retrieve product information from around the world to verify authenticity.
• GS1 RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) RFID technology using Electronic Product Codes (EPC) for identifying and tracking objects via radio waves, used in healthcare for asset tracking and apparel for inventory management.
• GDSN (Global Data Synchronisation Network) Electronic transfer of standardized product information between trading partners with continuous synchronization over time, enabling consistent data across supply chain.
• GS1 EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) Standardized electronic business messaging format for transmission of transactional data including orders, despatch notices, and invoices between trading partners.
• EPCIS (Electronic Product Code Information Services) GS1 standard enabling trading partners to share information about physical movement and status of products through event data (what, where, when, why), supporting traceability requirements.
• Starter Barcode Package Entry-level membership package providing 25 GTINs/barcodes with globally accepted codes, unlimited barcode image downloads, and access to Numberbank.
• Premium Barcode Package Mid-tier membership package providing 100 GTINs/barcodes with access to exclusive content and all starter package features.
• Business Barcode Package Enterprise membership package providing 1,000 GTINs/barcodes for high-volume product manufacturers and distributors.
• Tatmeen Traceability Project Specialized GLN licensing package for entities such as hospitals, pharmacies, clinics, and medical stores required to comply with UAE pharmaceutical traceability regulations.
• GS1 Learning Zone Online education platform offering courses on GS1 standards including GTIN allocation, barcode creation, EDI, data sharing, and traceability implementation.
• EAN/UPC Barcodes Linear barcode symbologies for retail point-of-sale scanning, encoding GTIN-13 (EAN) for global use or GTIN-12 (UPC) for North American market.
• GS1-128 Barcode Barcode symbology for encoding all GS1 keys with additional data such as serial numbers, batch numbers, expiration dates, and quantities for logistics and healthcare applications.
• GS1 DataMatrix 2D barcode symbol used primarily in healthcare settings for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, capable of holding serial numbers, lot numbers, and expiration dates in a compact square format.
• GS1 QR Code 2D barcode format using GS1 Digital Link standard to encode GTIN and additional product information, enabling consumer access to real-time data including usage instructions, nutrition, and sustainability information.

Quantifiable outcome

• Barcodes scanned over 10 billion times per day globally
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Emirates Drug Establishment (EDE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026The Emirates Drug Establishment announced a landmark initiative to transform pharmaceutical manufacturing in the UAE. GS1 standards support product identification, serialization, and end-to-end traceability of medicines, enhancing patient safety, streamlining regulatory compliance, and combating counterfeiting under the EDE's mandate.
• Dubai World Trade CentreminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 January 2026GS1 UAE participates in Gulfood events organized by Dubai World Trade Centre. Gulfood 2026 marks the first event to activate both the Dubai Exhibition Centre and Dubai World Trade Centre, expanding to 240,000 sqm with 8,500+ exhibitors from 195 countries.
• GooglecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025GS1 and Google announced a breakthrough collaboration enabling smartphone scanning of GS1 DataMatrix barcodes on medicine packages via Google Lens. This allows patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals instant access to trusted medicine information online without requiring a separate app. Each scan opens information from the manufacturer or authorized data provider, advancing patient safety globally.
• GS1 Global NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 May 2025GS1 Vision 2030 was endorsed unanimously by all GS1 Member Organisations at the GS1 General Assembly in Mumbai, India. This global strategy aims to help businesses grow and lead with trusted data in a digital-first world.
• Procter & GamblecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023P&G CEO Jon Moeller sent a letter to the Consumer Goods Forum calling for a global transition to 2D barcodes with GS1 standards. P&G endorses the transition as a primary focus for the industry, stating that 2D barcodes will provide all information consumers need, improve supply chain traceability, and scan at checkout.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• GS1 Global: Parent organization of GS1 UAE and global federation of GS1 member organizations. Operates the same GTIN/barcode/standards model worldwide; directly comparable business model and standards portfolio.

Emerging players

• 1WorldSync: Operator of GDSN-certified data pools that compete with GS1's product information synchronization network. Comparable because it serves the same brand/retailer ecosystem for standardized product data exchange.
• atrify: Product data network spun out of GS1 Germany offering GDSN data pool and product information management services. Directly comparable to GS1 UAE's BrandSync and data synchronization capabilities.
• Syndigo: Product information management and content syndication platform used by CPG brands and retailers. Comparable to GS1 UAE's BrandSync/data quality services as a provider of master product data infrastructure.

Direct peers

• GS1 UK: UK member organization of the GS1 federation offering identical GTIN/barcode licensing, healthcare traceability, and retail/CPG standards services. Closest one-to-one comparable peer in terms of product offering.
• GS1 US: Largest GS1 member organization in North America. Provides the same GTIN allocation, barcode licensing, and supply chain standards portfolio as GS1 UAE, differing only in geography.
• GS1 Germany: German GS1 member organization providing GTIN allocation, GDSN, and industry standards across retail and healthcare. Operates the same membership-based licensing model as GS1 UAE.
• GS1 France: French GS1 member organization delivering barcode licensing, traceability, and product data services. Comparable offering and member-based revenue structure.

Regional players

• GS1 China: Chinese GS1 organization (Article Numbering Centre of China). Comparable GTIN/barcode licensing services across retail and manufacturing; relevant as a major regional GS1 federation member.
• GS1 India: Indian GS1 member organization covering a large and rapidly digitizing retail and healthcare market. Comparable product portfolio; relevant regional analog given emerging-market dynamics similar to the UAE.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GS1_UAE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gs1-uae
• Instagraminstagram.com/gs1_uae/?hl=en

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about GS1 UAE