Many Indian exporters believe that the product is the cause of the customs delays. However, a very large share of rejections is due to what is on the outside of the packaging. A missing barcode, a code that is not correctly formatted, or a label that does not meet the destination country’s requirements can cause cargo to be held at port for days or weeks. It’s far cheaper to learn these requirements before they leave the warehouse at shipment than it is to figure them out after goods have arrived at a foreign customs checkpoint.
Customs Officers Rely on Labels as a First Checkpoint
Customs officers use information on packaging and labeling to verify basic information such as product origin, compliance status and safety information before a shipment is physically examined. If the barcode on a product cannot be read correctly, or does not match the product description on the accompanying documentation, often the shipment is flagged immediately. This single discrepancy can trigger a wider review, holding up clearance of the whole shipment, not just the product concerned.
Why UPC Compliance Matters for Exports to North America
If you are an Indian business exporting to the US or Canada, retailers and customs authorities will expect your products to have a properly formatted Universal Product Barcode. This twelve digit code must be generated correctly, printed clearly, and placed in a location where scanners can easily read it. It’s a simple mistake to make in either the sequencing of the digits or the calculation of the check digit, but it can cause the barcode to fail to scan, often resulting in the shipment being held until the problem is rectified. This requirement is especially strict for retailers in these markets, since their inventory systems rely 100% on accurate barcode data for incoming stock.
Common Mistakes That Lead to Rejection
Several recurring issues tend to cause the most trouble for exporters. One of the most common problems is the use of a barcode format that does not meet the expectations of the destination market. A code generated for domestic purposes may not meet international scanning standards. A common problem is the quality of printing, where barcodes that are faded, smudged or of poor size do not scan correctly at customs checkpoints or retail distribution centers. Incomplete registration is a further concern, particularly when a business has not properly obtained a company prefix through the appropriate barcode authority before generating product codes.
Working With a Reliable Barcode Provider
Given how strict these requirements can be, many Indian exporters choose to work with an established Barcode Provider India businesses already trust for domestic retail compliance. Before the packing method is complete, the dependable provider ensures that the barcodes are created precisely, formatted in line with the requirements of the destination country, and checked. By performing this step, shipments are less likely to be rejected by retail partners upon arrival at their destination or to be detained at customs.
Building Compliance Into the Export Process Early
The best way to avoid these problems is to think about barcode compliance during product development, not as a final step before shipping. Exporters can save a lot of time and money by confirming the barcode requirements of the destination market, confirming the registration details and testing the barcode readability prior to finalizing the packaging. Pre-empting these details (rather than after a shipment is already flagged) allows Indian companies to move goods through customs and into retail channels with far fewer interruptions.