The Consumer Goods and Retail industry has been actively developing global standards for data exchange, and processes. Built by the volunteer participation of a cross section of the industry, and facilitated by industry organizations such as the Uniform Code Council (UCC), the EAN and other consortia, these standards benefit manufacturers, distributors and retailers through bottom line efficiencies as well as top line improvements. Consumers benefit from lower costs, fuller shelves and better assortments. Consequently the entire industry becomes more efficient and responsive. However, there needs to be mass adoption of these standards for benefits to be realized. This in turn requires tools to determine the value of investments in such projects.

This Benefits Calculator, has been launched as part of the Standards in Action program, an international education and research initiative organized by EAN International and Uniform Code Council. It assists Retail and CPG business and IT executives gain an understanding of the potential benefits from implementation of basic enabling standards and processes from the EAN-UCC System; and provides them a quantitative frame of reference to measure the return on investments in these efforts. For the benefits of collaborative forecasting, automated replenishment and exchange models to be realized, fundamental enterprise infrastructures supported through standards are needed. This tool will facilitate widespread implementation of these standards and infrastructures.