GTIN
GTIN (Global Trade Identification Number) can an be used by a company to uniquely identify all of its trade items. This can be used any point in the supply chain. Read more https://www.gs1.org/standards/id-keys/gtin.
GTIN is designed to identify packaged products for trade (e.g., a bottle of cleaner), not the underlying chemical substance or formulation. A safety data sheet, on the other hand, refers to the chemical composition and safety profile, which can be shared across multiple product variants.
Legislation
To fulfull legislation regarding chemicals, the classification and labelling of a chemical is in focus, this is defined in GHS, CLP among other standards around the world.
1. There is no obligation to add GTIN in the safety data sheet
A safety data sheet doesn’t need to include the GTIN, as it’s not something the law requires.
2. GTIN uniquely identifies trade Items, not chemicals
Example: A single SDS for “Acetone” might cover:
100ml Acetone bottle (GTIN A)
500ml Acetone bottle (GTIN B)
Spray can variant (GTIN C)
These are distinct GTINs, but may share one SDS.
3. Multiple GTINs can point to the same SDS
In industries like chemicals, many trade items (GTINs) can map to a single SDS if the composition and hazard information are the same. Linking one GTIN to one SDS would result in unnecessary duplication or inconsistency.
4. GTIN is not present or used in safety data sheet systems
Safety data sheet systems (like those used in EHS or chemical management) often identify products by:
- Internal product codes
- Product names
5. GTINs vary by packaging, region, and language
Each packaging size, language version, or regional variant may have a different GTIN—even though the SDS content remains essentially the same. This makes GTIN an unstable link between systems that need a composition-based or hazard-based match, not a marketing/trade identifier.
Summary
While GTIN is useful for identifying physical products in commercial contexts, it is not designed for regulatory, chemical safety, or SDS linkage purposes. The mismatched purpose and granularity make it unsuitable as a universal identifier between sales products and SDSs across different systems.
If you’re looking to standardize SDS-product mappings across platforms (e.g., ERP, SDS management, e-commerce), I recommend using internal product or formulation identifiers, supported by a mapping logic to GTIN where needed.
Our recommended way of working
When a product is identified as a chemical in the customer’s system, it must be linked to iChemistry using a defined process:
- Manual i-number entry
A unique i-number from iChemistry is manually entered into the customer’s system to create a connection.
System Integration
This i-number links both systems, enabling consistent tracking of the chemical.
Automated GTIN Transfer
Once linked, the customer’s system can retrieve GTINs automatically via an API.
Summary
The process ensures chemical products are uniquely identified and synced between systems, combining manual setup with automated data flow.
