Multi-site food labelling architecture
An architecture designed for a multi-site food retailer to manage product and allergen information centrally, with a four-step workflow for store colleagues.
The requirement
A multi-site food retailer needed a more controlled way to manage product and allergen information across its locations. The existing workflow relied heavily on manually managed product data and labels created one at a time.
For food prepacked for direct sale (PPDS), ingredients and allergens have to be exactly right on every label. A process built on manual data and individual label creation puts that accuracy in the hands of whoever makes each label.
The architecture
The architecture was designed so that product information could be maintained centrally and distributed across the organisation. It centred on a small number of controlled label templates covering the product range, and touchscreen industrial printers at each printing station.
The store workflow
The intended workflow at store level was deliberately simple:
- Enter the product code
- Retrieve the product information
- Select the quantity
In the design, nobody in a store would type ingredients or allergens; they would come from the central record.
Why it was designed this way
A recipe or allergen change would be made once, centrally, and reach every location. A small, controlled template set keeps output consistent between stores, and a four-step workflow is quick to learn for colleagues with other jobs to do.
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