ECCnet Image and Validation Brand Owner-Submitted Images e-Submission Guidelines

Summary

GS1 Canada’s ECCnet Image and Validation (ECCnet I&V) services offer brand owners the option to submit their own images to satisfy industry requirements. This option is convenient for brand owners who already have images available and want to reduce their shipping costs and/or have difficulty getting access to all physical samples of their products. What you need to know when submitting

Before submitting images, you must know that the Planogram images must be up to date. We will not update the Marketing Image database or process Nutrition Information if the Planogram image does not match visuals submitted. If you are submitting Planogram images, a physical sample per brand/size must be submitted for dimensional data validation. In such case, the submission must be via courier and images must be placed on a DVD.

 Planogram Images: A physical sample per brand and size must be provided. This means that if you are launching a new product line that comes in multiple flavors or scent, you can supply one physical sample per package size. o When submitting physical samples, the digital image set (multiple flavors/scents, etc) must be sent in the box with the physical sample, on a DVD. We cannot accept electronic submissions (ftp or email) when we need to match to a physical sample.

 Marketing Images: When submitting Marketing images, no physical sample is required, however the Planogram images in the ECCnet I&V database must be up to date and identical to the images submitted. If they are not, the images will be refused and will have to be resubmitted with the physical sample submission to have it updated. o Unfortunately, we are currently unable to hold the images unless your Planogram images are up to date.

 Nutrition Information for ECCnet Item Certification: Digital mock-ups or print-proofs (in PDF, JPG, or TIFF) can be submitted. To protect the integrity of the data in our Planogram database, ECCnet I&V will not process a digital file that does not match the visual of the same product in the Planogram database. We will request a physical sample to update the Planogram database (and the Marketing database if required). The Nutrition information will therefore be extracted from the physical sample.

Every submission failing to meet submission requirements will incur the Evaluation and Administration fee of $100 .

Image standards

Planogram and/or Marketing images: Before sending your Planogram or Marketing images, please refer to the Product Imaging Specifications Guidelines and ensure all product views are sent and that the image format and image file naming meet the global standard.

Print-proofs or Mock-up images for Item Certification There is no global standard for Print-Proofs for ECCnet Item Certification. We have accepted to receive your digital mock-ups in order to reduce shipping costs. You must ensure the image filenames are the full 12 or

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13 GTIN code of the product (ex: 061234567890.pdf). Any other filename will be refused. We will create a set of images of the NFT and Ingredient, extract the data and load this into ECCnet Item Certification.

Brand Owner Submission Process

To submit their image files, brand owners must follow the following procedures:

1. Complete the e-Submission Product List (Appendix A). This electronic Excel sheet must be included with the images in the same ZIP file. 2. Prepare the images and include them, along with the e-Submission Product List, in a ZIP file. The ZIP filename must be Company name and Date (ex: ABCcompany_2013_05_21.zip) a. NOTE: ZIP files should not be larger than 5GB each. If you have more images, send via DVD (instructions below). 3. Fill out an e-Submission Form (Appendix B). This form is mandatory. It must include the submitter coordinates and the transmission method of the image. The available authorised image transmission methods are: a. Via your own FTP (in which case, the instructions must be provided on the E-Submission Form for ECCnet I&V personnel to access (i.e.: FTP address, password, etc). The e-Submission Form must be sent to the email address [email protected], which will prompt a technician to pick-up the images on your FTP b. Via DVD – the E-Submission Form must accompany the DVD. This method should be used for transmissions of no more than 5GB of images. The DVD must include the images, the e-Submission Product List and a printed and signed e-Submission Form. c. Via an online File Sharing service such as YouSendIt or Dropbox. In the case of these services, ensure the recipient is [email protected] and that you include the Images, e-Submission Product List and e-Submission Form in the same transmission (zip file). d. Via email but only for ZIP files of no more than 5MB, and no more than 2 emails. The complete set of documents must be sent to [email protected]

Evaluations

To ensure data integrity, GS1 Canada’s ECCnet I&V services can refuse a submission, or ask for additional information or physical samples. For example: A. The submission is incomplete (missing or incomplete forms) B. The print-proof for ECCnet Item Certification or the Marketing image provided does not match the Planogram image in our database – this would prevent us from processing. The Planogram database must be updated in order to continue. C. The image filenames or image format do not meet standards e-Submission Service Fees

Marketing images $30 per product Planogram images $45 per product ECCnet Item Certification $10 per print-proof Failed evaluations $100 (an evaluation report will be submitted)

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For Information about the e-Submission services, please contact [email protected]

(Example: APPENDIX A) e-Submission Product List

This sheet must be included in the ZIP file along with the images. The full product GTIN (12 or 13 digits) must be listed, with no spaces or special characters (such as / or -). This sheet must be sent electronically (not printed) as it will be used in the treatment of your images.

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(Example: APPENDIX B) e-Submission Form

This form must be filled out and sent along in the email transmission, or sent alone to indicate how to download the images, or printed and accompanying the DVD.

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