Check RFID and GS1 Barcode Consistency – ETISOFT GS1Verifier
If the RFID tag and the barcode on the same label describe different products, the error usually only comes to light when a customer complains. This kind of mismatch is invisible to the naked eye – the chip stores a different identifier (EPC) than the one shown by the printed barcode. You can check whether both carriers agree right on the label, before the product moves any further – that’s exactly what GS1Verifier does, an app from Etisoft that reads the EPC from the tag and compares it with the GS1 barcode.
If the RFID tag and barcode on the same label describe different products, without proper verification, the error may not be detected until a later stage of the process—or, in extreme cases, only after a customer complaint. Such a discrepancy is invisible to the naked eye—the EPC stored in the tag may refer to a different product than the data encoded in the barcode or may have an incorrect structure. However, the consistency of both data carriers can be verified immediately on the label before the product moves on—this is done by GS1Verifier, an application that reads the EPC from the tag and compares it with the barcode in the GS1 standard.
Product labels increasingly feature two data carriers: a traditional barcode and an RFID tag. The barcode is scanned optically, while the RFID tag is read via radio waves—faster, without requiring the label to be visible, and for multiple products at once. In this application, both carriers use identifiers associated with GS1 standards, so they should refer to the same product.
Etisoft is a manufacturer of RFID labels and systems that has been providing labeling and automatic identification solutions since 1993 — ranging from the labels themselves to hardware and software. GS1Verifier is one such solution: an application for verifying the compliance of data on a label.
Table of Contents
A tag that reads isn’t the same as a tag that’s correct
The simple fact that an RFID reader picks up a tag doesn’t mean the label is correct. The tag may be readable and still contain the wrong data, an invalid EPC structure, or information that doesn’t match the barcode. In other words, “the tag reads” and “the tag is correct” are two different things.
What causes a mismatch between RFID and the barcode?
A mismatch occurs when the identifier stored in the RFID tag (EPC) differs from the product described by the barcode on the same label. One possible cause is an error during the tag encoding process. A valid GS1 barcode was printed on the label, but a different number or an incorrectly structured EPC was stored in the chip. Since the data stored in the RFID tag cannot be verified visually, the error may remain undetected until the tag is read at a later stage of the process.
Without verification vs. with verification – what changes
| Situation | Without GS1 verification | With GS1 verification |
|---|---|---|
| Error detection point | At a late stage of the process or after a customer complaint | During the process or before shipment |
| Visibility of non-compliance | None — the content of the RFID tag cannot be assessed based on the label’s appearance | Compliant / non-compliant result available immediately |
| Cost of error | Returns, rework, complaints | Batch stopped before costs are generated |
| Workload | Manual EPC analysis and data comparison with the barcode | Automatic analysis and data comparison in the application |
What does GS1Verifier actually do?
The GS1 Verifier reads the RFID tag, decodes the EPC stored in it, analyzes the GS1 data structure, and then compares it with the barcode on the label. This is not just a simple tag read – it is a compliance check between the radio frequency (RFID) layer and the visible layer on the label that allows you to quickly verify whether both media describe the same product.
The verification process includes, among other things:
- whether the RFID tag contains a valid EPC,
- whether the data structure complies with the GS1 standard,
- whether the RFID data matches the barcode,
- and whether the product number and other identifiers are consistent.
GS1Verifier runs on Android-based mobile devices, so verification can be performed directly at the production line, during packaging, in quality control, or in the warehouse.
What verification looks like, step by step
The process is simple: the product gets a label with a GS1 barcode and an RFID tag. The user reads the tag in the app, then scans or enters the barcode data, and GS1Verifier compares the two sources. If they match, the label passes. If a discrepancy turns up, the product – or the whole batch – can be held back and the labeling corrected before it moves on.
What happens when the RFID and the barcode don’t match
If the data on the two carriers differs, the product can end up identified differently depending on which method is used to read it. That raises the risk of mix-ups, complaints, returns, and manual troubleshooting. A consistent label means the barcode and the RFID tag point to the same information – and GS1Verifier lets you confirm that before the product moves on.
In the customer’s own words
Before implementing this application, we had no way to verify the data contained in either the RFID tags or the barcodes. We only found out about any errors when a customer filed a complaint.
ETISOFT GS1Verifier allows us to immediately verify both the validity of the EPC and the variant of the labels we’ve received. Thanks to this, we can be sure right from the start of production that we’re using the correct labels. This has allowed us to avoid costly returns from end customers and warehouses, as well as unnecessary rework.
Bartłomiej Zywert,
Senior Quality Specialist, THULE
RFID only improves product identification when the data on the tags is correct and matches the barcode on the same label. GS1Verifier reads the EPC, checks the GS1 data structure, and compares the RFID tag against the barcode, so errors surface earlier – before they turn into complaints and returns.
Want to check whether your RFID labels are correct?
If your company uses labels with a GS1 barcode and an RFID tag, it’s worth making sure the two carriers actually agree with each other. As a GS1 partner and a manufacturer of labels, supplier of printers, and RFID terminals, Etisoft supplies not just GS1Verifier for consistency checks, but also the RFID labels themselves and the equipment to encode them. Get in touch to see how GS1Verifier would fit into your processes.
FAQ
Does a tag reading successfully mean it’s correct?
No. A tag can be readable and still hold an incorrect EPC or data that doesn’t match the barcode. Only checking the two carriers against each other confirms it’s actually correct.
What does it mean when RFID doesn’t match the barcode?
It means the EPC stored in the tag points to a different product than the barcode printed on the same label.
What devices does the verification run on?
GS1Verifier runs on Android mobile terminals – at the production line, in the warehouse, or in quality control.
When does an EPC mismatch typically happen?
Most often at the tag-encoding stage – when the barcode was printed correctly, but the chip was encoded with a different number or a faulty EPC structure.
Who is this verification for?
For any company using labels with a GS1 barcode and an RFID tag – manufacturers, quality departments, warehouses, distribution centers, logistics companies, and retail chains.
