FOR every economy to be sustainable and experience steady growth, it must be independent and run on policies tailored to its operational strength and the potential to overcome challenges.
Qatar’s manufacturing sector has witnessed steady growth and development in recent years as the country diversifies from an oil-based economy. Qatar, with almost 1,000 running factories, now exports various goods and services across several sectors.
Pushing this drive, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoCI) yesterday handed over Qatar’s first product tracking number to QLife Pharma Company. QLife Pharma obtained the first Qatari tracking number, with 630, to be the first company in Qatar to receive the national tracking code.
The Qatar Development Bank (QDB) also launched the Qatari Product Coding and Tracking office. Previously, Qatari producers used tracking numbers belonging to foreign countries to distinguish their products.
The significance of this move cannot be understated as it represents a drive by the country to boost the presence of its national products here in Qatar, in the region, and worldwide. Product packages contain all sorts of logos, certifications, claims, and machine-readable identifiers like barcodes and QR codes. Some have regulatory purposes, and some are marketing.
Others are for logistical purposes, while some have a mix of all 3. The addition of batch numbers, barcodes, and relevant dates to packaging (mainly food and drinks) enables manufacturers and relevant authorities to quickly trace their products wherever they are in the world in the event of a recall.
This process also helps protect supply chain integrity by rapidly identifying whether a product is a counterfeit. Counterfeit medications, faulty medical devices, contaminated foods, and unsustainable sourcing practices threaten public safety, waste precious natural resources, negatively impact consumer confidence and destroy brand’s reputation.
Hence, being able to trace a product is not just crucial for multinational brands. It’s also essential for small and medium-sized manufacturers.
Besides optimizing available resources and ensuring fair and sustainable trade, traceability enables companies to regulate their products’ carbon footprints. Through the relevant authorities, the government continues to work to enhance product safety mitigation and traceability efforts.
Those across the industries need to understand the direction of lot code practices and regulations.
The Qatari Product Coding and Tracking Office invites all Qatari companies, whether those investing in the local market or companies working to export their products abroad, to submit their requests to obtain a national tracking number for their products starting from May 23, 2021.
