Small businesses urged to get product barcodes

All business owners, whether selling handcrafted jewellery, making homemade chilli sauce, or sewing clothes from home, can now obtain their own Namibian barcode for their products.

GS1 Namibia chief executive Patricia Hangula says Namibia launched its own GS1 barcode system which gives local businesses the ability to register their products under the country code prefix 631.

Previously, Namibian producers sourced barcodes from South Africa or other countries.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a small and medium enterprise, a craft vendor at the market, or running a food business from home – if you have a product and you want it on a retail shelf or on an e-commerce platform, you are eligible for a GS1 barcode,” she says.

Hangula says with Namibia’s official GS1 system, local products can now seamlessly enter not only domestic shelves but also platforms like Takealot, Amazon and other international retailers.

“If your dream is to see your product on the shelves next to the biggest brands, then this is your first step,” Hangula adds.

The once-off cost of a Namibian barcode is N$145 (excluding VAT), which Hangula says is a minimal investment for the legitimacy and market access it brings.

“That barcode will live with your product for its entire life. Unless you change the recipe or the item, you don’t need to replace it,” she says.

Hangula says GS1 Namibia is actively helping entrepreneurs understand how to use the barcodes effectively. The organisation offers weekly walk-in coaching sessions in Windhoek every Thursday, as well as training in other regions and online.

“We run workshops on food labelling, traceability and export readiness. We even help producers in informal markets understand what their product needs to look like to get into a store.”

GS1 Namibia also hosts a ‘Meet the Buyer’ exhibition, where small businesses can pitch their products directly to top retailers like Shoprite, Choppies or Woolworths.

Hangula adds that beyond local benefits, the barcode system supports broader trade ambitions under agreements like the African Continental Free Trade Area by making rules of origin and traceability easier to manage.

“Africa is now. We want to trade among ourselves. We want to build. But we must start with the basics – and that means formalising our products with tools like barcodes,” says Hangula.

In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.