Kroger Accelerated GTIN
Conversion
Global Data Synchronization
(GTIN) Project
© 2011 1SYNC | | Proprietary and Confidential
Global Data Synchronization (GTIN) Project
Why is Kroger asking its suppliers to convert to Global Trade Item
Numbers (GTINs)?
• Kroger is re-engineering its internal systems and processes to support a full
conversion to GDS.
• One of the key components of this initiative requires that a supplier’s items be
GTIN-compliant.
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• Part of our journey towards GDSN implementation is to get your items GTIN
compliant within our current product database.
– One of the steps that 1SYNC is doing for us as they help us with this massive task is to
ensure the new case GTINs that you provide on the spreadsheet match to what you
published to us in GDSN for the case GTIN and its pack size.
– We are converting many thousands of vendors and hundreds of thousands of items,
and this automated process is the method we developed to help us successfully
accomplish this in an acceptable timeframe.
• GTINs will then become the key item identifier in all EDI transactions with its
suppliers (EDI version 5010).
• March 31, 2012 is the deadline for this conversion effort.
© 2011 1SYNC | | Proprietary and Confidential
Global Data Synchronization (GTIN) Project
Who is included in the scope of this conversion?
• All of Kroger’s non-GTIN converted vendors who have orderable cases except for:
– Some Random Weight – (some non-fixed weight perishables items in our database
that begin with a ‘002’; for example ‘0020000700000’)
– PLUs – (Product Lookup - 4011 - banana)
– KPCs – (Kroger Product Code – Kroger internal code – ‘0020000700000’)
– Apparel
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– Fred Meyer General Group vendors do not need to convert at this time
– DSD without case UPCs (multiple consumer UPCS delivered to the store in a nonreusable package(case) that may or may not have a UPC barcode on said package
are in scope)
– Discontinued cases
– Pharmacy items that are NOT in Kroger systems
• If you have received an email with the subject line: Kroger GTIN Conversion /
GDSN Initiative - ACTION REQUIRED, then you have been identified as having
products that could be in the scope of this project.
© 2011 1SYNC | | Proprietary and Confidential
Global Data Synchronization (GTIN) Project
What is the process to convert your UPC’s to GTIN’s?
• You will receive a packet containing Kroger Merchandising Letter, GTIN
Conversion Project FAQ, EDI Conversion FAQ, and the Kroger EDI Partner
Guide.
• IMPORTANT: Please fill out the Kroger GTIN/5010 Conversion Questionnaire
(often referred to as the Vendor Checklist) at http://edi.kroger.com/ediforms within
10 business days of receipt.
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– Even if you feel you are “out of scope” of this project, please fill out the checklist. If
you are DSD or do not do business with us, there are fields on the questionnaire that
you an check.
– If you are not DSD and do business with us but feel you should not be included in the
scope of this project, please click yes for the question “Are there any specific dates in
which you would be unable to perform this conversion process?” and add your
comments in the section below the question.
• 1SYNC will contact you to confirm a conversion date. You will have 10 business
days to request a change to your date.
© 2011 1SYNC | | Proprietary and Confidential
Global Data Synchronization (GTIN) Project
What is the process to convert your UPC’s to GTIN’s? (cont’d)
• You will receive a list of case UPCs along with further information three weeks
prior to your scheduled conversion date.
• Publish your GTINs via 1SYNC to Kroger (GLN 0011110000019). While Kroger
does not endorse any particular data pool, 1SYNC is Kroger's preferred data pool
provider. Additional information on GDSN-certified data pools can be found at
www.gs1us.org or http://edi.kroger.com
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• Provide your case GTINs to 1SYNC once you have completed filling out your
Kroger case UPC list with the GTIN converted items.
• If you have items which are discontinued or for whom you are no longer the
owner, please provide this information on the Kroger case UPC list so Kroger can
update its information.
• If you do EDI transactions with Kroger, you will need to update to EDI Version
5010 before or the same day as your GTIN Conversion.
© 2011 1SYNC | | Proprietary and Confidential
Global Data Synchronization (GTIN) Project
Common Questions
• CIC’s (Catalog Item Confirmation) – Kroger will be unable to respond with CIC’s
until its internal systems are on-line. We ask that you publish so your data can be
verified. New items will be handled with an NIF (New Item Form), as well as
through GDSN.
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• Private label items – If you supply Private Label items to Kroger, please add the
CASE GTIN for those items to the bottom of the ‘CASE GTIN’ column in the item
file spreadsheet that will be sent to you 3 weeks before conversion.
• Packaging – Kroger recommends that you change your packaging to reflect your
GTIN within 3 months from your conversion.
• Fred Meyer Scope: Fred Meyer General Group exclusive suppliers are currently
out of scope. However, suppliers that supply products to other Kroger (Peyton)
warehouses need to convert to GTIN and will also need to convert to EDI version
5010.
© 2011 1SYNC | | Proprietary and Confidential
Global Data Synchronization (GTIN) Project
What if I have questions?
• Please contact 1SYNC at 1 866.280.4013, option 4 or
customerservice@1sync.org
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• If you have EDI related questions regarding this initiative, please contact Kroger
via email at edi@kroger.com.
• Please visit http://edi.kroger.com to view the Kroger GTIN/EDI FAQ document.
• Please visit http://www.1sync.org/kroger for more information regarding this
initiative.
© 2011 1SYNC | | Proprietary and Confidential
QUESTIONS?
© 2011 1SYNC | | Proprietary and Confidential