After discovering that some imported products being sold in Cambodia are using falsified barcodes, the Ministry of Commerce has reiterated that all products officially registered and manufactured in the Kingdom of Cambodia must have a barcode which begins with 884.
“In order to promote support for local products and raise public awareness on the use of product barcodes, the ministry would like to inform company owners, enterprises, artisans, traders, businesspeople and the general public that barcodes registered in Cambodia must begin with 884,” it said, in a September 16 press release.
“Product barcodes starting with 884 are registered in Cambodia to identify the origin of products. These barcodes are authorized for use by GS1 Cambodia, which operates under the management of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, and they are issued to company owners, enterprises, artisans, traders and businesspeople within Cambodia to be placed on product labels,” it added.
In August, a major public outcry erupted on Cambodian social media after it was discovered that an importer had covered up the original barcode on a packaged dairy product — originally 885 (Thailand’s prefix) — and replaced it with Cambodia’s. This criticism followed an investigation by the authorities, who found falsified barcodes in the company’s warehouse.
