1. Processes and Guides
  2. Managing your Product Information

Managing your Product Information

Woman looking at packet

Foodstuffs operates an integrated National Product Information Management system to ensure that we have the right information about all of the products we buy and sell. Within Foodstuffs we often refer to information about Products as Article Master Data.

This information allows us to buy and sell your products, so it’s really important that the information you provide is complete and accurate. There are a huge range of details your consumers expect us to provide  about the products we sell, especially online where they cannot view the physical product. This is why we expect that the product information you provide matches the physical product, including product images.

Our National Product Information Management (National PIM) team reviews and enriches all product data for both new and existing products. 

New products will only be enriched and made available on request from a Foodstuffs Category Manager or store buyer. Once a product is enriched it is available to both Foodstuffs regions for ranging, which takes effect when local pricing and terms are applied. You need to provide information about new products 6-8 weeks prior to the launch date for your product. 

You need to advise us about all existing product changes and provide updated data whenever there is a change to your product. This may include carton configuration changes, new barcodes, packaging or formulation changes. You need to provide updated product information six weeks prior to when you want the changed product to be available in the market.  

Note that price changes are handled by FOBL to ensure national pricing transparency. Please refer to the pricing section for more information about this process.

All changes relating to your product must be submitted to Foodstuffs via one of two methods:

  • GS1 National Product Catalogue (NPC) & GS1 ProductFlow: these systems are managed and supported by GS1 New Zealand, allowing suppliers to build a catalogue in the NPC as they introduce new products and update existing ones. The physical product, including the barcode, is verified against the data entered. There is also an option to images at the same time. Other retailers can also subscribe to your product information via GS1 NPC.
  • Products @ Foodstuffs eXchange: this is an online system, housed on the Foodstuffs eXchange, allowing suppliers to submit product information via a web-based interface, with in-line validation to assist data accuracy.

Both systems perform certain levels of validation on the information entered by the suppliers, to ensure its accuracy and that it meets the standards defined by both the Foodstuffs companies and GS1. ProductFlow is our preferred method for receiving product information and we prioritise these data submissions as we can rely on the data being complete and accurate.

If you need help with managing your product information, please contact the National PIM team on 0800 555 985 or email natpim@foodstuffs-si.co.nz