Coding advice helps keep Asda prices low

Coding Management of Claricom, has been engaged by leading retailer ASDA to investigate and propose best practice operational procedures for on-pack coding and marking.

Coding Management, the advisory division of Packaging Coding Management Systems (PCMS) specialists Claricom, has been engaged by leading retailer ASDA to investigate and propose best practice operational procedures for on-pack coding and marking.

ASDA is well known for its 'Roll Back' pricing.

Pack coding and labelling accuracy and efficiency have been identified as a key element in the company's continuing drive to reduce costs while maintaining quality.

"A large number of our product withdrawals are down to coding errors," explains John Clague, Head of Technical, ASDA Brand.

"We recognised that improving coding accuracy and product traceability would not only further enhance our overall quality but also maximise the number of fresh product days available to customers in store, improve product availability and reduce stock loss.

On behalf of ASDA, Coding Management has worked with several chosen suppliers to review in-plant coding and labelling operations and as a result has identified a number of opportunities for improvements throughout the supply chain that will benefit manufacturers, ASDA and the consumer.

In addition to specific recommendations, Coding Management's overall findings also highlighted significant improvements that could be made by manufacturers in the areas of demand planning, forecasting and order fulfilment if they made better use of collaborative tools provided by ASDA for this purpose.

"The first phase of our project has successfully identified potential improvements in coding management, and significant reductions in product and packaging waste," concludes John Clague.

"We engaged Coding Management because of its unique expertise in this area and the company has provided excellent strategic advice and guidance".

"There is little doubt that without Coding Management's detailed understanding and expertise, the project would not have identified such a broad range of significant opportunities.

Coding Management provides equipment and technology independent expert consultancy and this approach enables the company to deliver objective advice that can result in dramatic advances in performance.

The company points to the significant developments in coding and labelling equipment since the origins of initial lot coding legislation in the 1970s, which means it is now possible to adopt a much more flexible and versatile process on the shop floor.

This in turn enables companies to design and implement process improvements that reduce cost and business risk and increase manufacturing efficiency.

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