Product data (PIM) for FMCG: what retailers ask for
Retailers ask an FMCG brand for four groups of product data: identification (EAN or GTIN), logistics (case and pallet dimensions, weight), compliance (ingredients, allergens, shelf life) and marketing (images and copy per language). A PIM, a product information management system, keeps that data in one place, so every retailer, website and portal receives the same, checkable version.
When you want a product listed by a retailer or importer, you receive a list of fields to fill in. The list differs per buyer, but the subjects keep coming back. If you do not have that data ready, you lose time with every new buyer, and sometimes the listing itself.
Four groups of data
| Field group | What it is for | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Identification | Recognising the product unambiguously at the till, in the warehouse and in the ordering system | EAN or GTIN of the consumer unit, GTIN of the case, article number, brand, product name, variant |
| Logistics | Storing, transporting and ordering in the right units | Dimensions and weight of unit, case and pallet, units per case, cases per layer, layers per pallet, minimum order quantity, shelf life in days |
| Compliance | Meeting the food and product information rules of the target market | Ingredients, allergens, nutrition values per 100 g or 100 ml, storage advice, best-before date, country of origin, name and address of the producer, certificates |
| Marketing | Presenting the product clearly and attractively in store or webshop | Product photos on a white background, extra images, product description and features per language, logo and brand story |
| Commercial | Recording prices and terms per market | Unit price per market, currency, availability, launch date, customs tariff code for export |
The first four groups are the core that retailers ask about most. The fifth comes with exporting, because a customs code and a price per market then become part of the order.
Compliance: why it is not a side issue
For food sold in the European Union, the regulation on food information for consumers sets which data must appear on the label and how. That covers the ingredients list, the fourteen allergens that have to be emphasised, the nutrition declaration and the date of minimum durability. The packaging is the source, but the retailer also wants the same data digitally, in a form its own systems can read. A mismatch between label and file can be a reason for rejection.
Outside the European Union other rules apply, often with their own label format and language requirements. A buyer in another country may therefore ask for fields your home market never does. Keep that in mind with every new export market.
What goes wrong without a shared source
- Product data lives across the ERP, a marketing spreadsheet, a PDF catalogue and a colleague's mailbox, and each source says something different.
- A change, such as a new pack size or recipe, is made in one place and the rest stays old.
- For every retailer the submission file is built by hand again.
- Translations sit in separate files, so one language lags behind or a text differs per country.
- Nobody knows which fields are complete, so the gaps only appear when the retailer asks.
What a PIM does
A PIM is a system for product information. A PIM can record every field per product, show which ones are missing and send the data out in the format a buyer asks for. It does not replace your ERP: the ERP stays in charge of the finances, the PIM of the product data, and an integration keeps the two aligned.
BDI Nexus builds product data management as one clean catalogue, where imports of supplier lists are checked before they enter it. From that single catalogue, changes go on a schedule to every connected website and portal, so only one version of the truth exists.
Where to start
- List your products and check per product which of the four field groups are complete.
- Pick a source and an owner for each field, so it is clear who keeps it up to date.
- Begin with the data buyers ask for first: identification and logistics.
- Store translations with the product, not in separate files.
- Check for missing fields yourself before a retailer asks for them.
You do not have to clean up your data before you start. Reading in supplier lists and spreadsheets and checking them is part of the work.
What people ask first.
- What is a PIM?
- A PIM is a product information management system. It keeps all data per product in one place, such as identification, dimensions, weight, ingredients, images and copy per language, and delivers it to websites, portals and buyers.
- Which product data do retailers ask for at a minimum?
- An unambiguous code such as the EAN or GTIN, dimensions and weight of unit, case and pallet, ingredients, allergens and shelf life, and images and copy. What comes on top differs per retailer and per country.
- Does a PIM replace our ERP?
- No. The ERP stays in charge of the finances. A PIM maintains the product data and is connected to the ERP, so products stay identical in both places.
- Do we have to clean up our data first?
- No. Reading in supplier lists and spreadsheets and checking them is part of the work. At BDI Nexus the import checks every supplier list before it enters the catalogue.
Show us where your orders get stuck.
Tell us how an order moves through your business today. We will tell you honestly what is worth building.