• In-store processing and/or packaging of product
• The need to use scales in-store so variable measure packages can be labeled with accurate weight, price per pound and total package price
• Lower rate of reading the scan bar code on meat package labels
• Variable measure scan bar codes have a different format which requires additional equipment and training capabilities
• There is no government or other agency requiring a specific U.P.C. number be assigned for each item
• There is a lack of accurate product information for the set up and maintenance of U.P.C. numbers
• The need to comply with regulatory requirements for tare weights and price integrity
• Wet packages present scan accuracy issues due to the moisture content of meat and poultry products
• The ability to capture accurate sales and tonnage data from scan information due to the lack of standard information

When scanning first became prevalent, the industry asked for a solution for tracking variable measure products through the scan system. The GS1 US (formerly UCC) assigned these products to a Number System 2 coding format and provided a set of numbers to be used in a 12-digit Variable Measure Retail Bar Code for product identification and tracking purposes. Industry trade associations worked to take groups of numbers and assign them to cuts of fresh meat and poultry. These associations included the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Pork Board, American Lamb Board, National Chicken Council and the National Turkey Federation. When the U.P.C. numbers were assigned, the original ranges of numbers were divided among the managing associations based on each association’s needs at the time. There were originally 4,370 U.P.C. numbers allocated to the meat and poultry associations for use with variable measure meat and poultry products. These numbers, coupled with the URMIS and poultry description, provided the industry with a usable format for scanning variable measure meat products.

Over time, however, changes have created a need for some adjustments. One of the most significant changes the fresh meat category has witnessed, which has been lead by poultry and pork suppliers, has been in the area of branding. More fresh meat products are being branded by either the supplier or the food retailer every day. In order to be able to effectively track these branded items at retail, initially the Retailer Assigned X-1 position of the Number System 2 Variable Measure Retail Bar Code, coupled with the four-digit item ID, was used. This provided a way to track up to ten brands per species. This system worked for several years because of the limited number of brands introduced. However, over time the branding of poultry and meat products has become more and more common, and the industry continues to move in that direction. Continuous consolidation by both retailers and suppliers has increased the challenge for branding meat products as well. Today there are numerous multi-chain supermarkets that can have up to twenty-five brands within a specific class of products. Therefore, it became apparent that a new solution for assigning branded products would be required.

In addition to product branding, consumer preferences have evolved to more convenience-type products, which has impacted the type of products being sold. This has presented the industry with an additional challenge because the original four-digit U.P.C. number assignment was limited to 4,370 U.P.C. numbers.

To help resolve these challenges to fresh meat product identification, in 1996 an addendum was created to the original U.P.C. numbering system. Use of the Retailer Assigned X-1 position of 9 added 4,070 additional U.P.C. numbers for the assignment of meat and poultry products. These additional numbers were used to accommodate the needs for coding new brands, convenience products and other new product innovations in the fresh meat department.

In addition to the challenges the industry faced in assigning unique U.P.C. numbers to each meat and poultry product found in the fresh meat case, there were also challenges with standard nomenclature for these items. The original URMIS and poultry standard descriptions were generic descriptions that could be applied across all products sold at the time. Over time, regulations changed for labeling meat and poultry products. Additionally, the industry’s product trend to more convenience-type products created the need for labeling products differently. The original URMIS and poultry standard generic descriptions did not meet all the description and labeling needs of today.

To meet these challenges, the meat and poultry industries needed a method to provide a structure and system for the assignment of standard U.P.C. numbers and descriptions that would accommodate industry trends. The structure and system had to be robust enough to include the initial four-digit U.P.C. number structure, the URMIS and poultry descriptions, the Addendum numbers if appropriate, and provide for any future changes in branding, descriptions and other industry trends.

The Meat Brand Description Code (MBDC) provides a structure for grouping and evaluating variable measure U.P.C. numbers and descriptions for meat and poultry products. The groups of U.P.C. numbers and descriptions are represented by a “Code” in the MBDC. An MBDC consists of defined characteristics. The characteristics are based on common industry related terms that are used to identify meat products. Following is a list of the MBDC characteristics:

• Class
• Brand
• Product Type
• Grade
• Claim
• Package State
• Specification

In addition, the MBDC provides the following:

• A structure for assigning all 41,000 available meat and poultry item U.P.C. numbers (Note: This total results from the use of all original U.P.C. number assignments as well as all adaptations of the use of each of the ten X-1 positions for meat and poultry products
• A structure for maintaining U.P.C. numbers and grouping U.P.C. numbers for each species or class of product and product type by start and end ranges
• A structure for maintaining the URMIS and poultry descriptions
• A structure for creating descriptions that meet today’s labeling needs
• A system for creating new MBDCs
• A system for moving U.P.C. numbers and descriptions within the codes
• A structure for maintaining meat service case U.P.C. numbers and descriptions
• A classification in the MBDC for applying the URMIS and poultry descriptions on labels (see the Description Label Application Standard)

Benefits of the MBDC:

• Provides adequate branding for today and the future
• Provides for trend changes with over 7,500 unassigned U.P.C. numbers
• Provides a structure with characteristics and terminology common to the meat industry
• Provides for the re-assignment of dormant U.P.C. numbers and descriptions
• Provides a method to customize descriptions for labeling meat and poultry products
• Provides a standard that can be used by the entire industry