Method for specifying price information and product filling system

Abstract

A method for specifying price information for a product that can be purchased by a customer at a point of sale upon payment of a purchase price, wherein the price information is contained in an optically readable code that is visibly arranged on a reusable product packaging (2) and can be detected by an optical reader (23), characterized in that in a usage identification step (7) it is determined by an automated detection of usage information whether the product packaging (2) is being used for the first time to purchase a product or whether the product packaging (2) is being used again to purchase a product, and that in a subsequent price information encoding step, in the case of first-time use of the product packaging (2), an optically readable first-use code (10) with first-use price information is applied to the product packaging (2).provided that no initial usage code (10) has yet been applied to the product packaging (29), and that in the price information coding step, in the event of reuse of the product packaging (2), an optically readable reuse code (12) with reuse price information is applied to the product packaging (2), provided that no reuse code (12) has yet been applied to the product packaging (2).

Description

The invention relates to a method for presetting price information for a product which can be purchased at a point of sale by a customer against payment for a purchase price, wherein the price information is contained in an optically readable code which is arranged on a reusable product package such that it can be seen from the outside and can be detected with an optical reading device.Nowadays, optically readable codes are arranged from the outside in such a way that they can be detected automatically, for example with the aid of a scanner cash register or a suitable optical reading device, and the information contained therein can be read out. During a payment process at a point of sale equipped with a scanner cash register, only the optically readable code on the product packaging of a product which a customer wishes to purchase needs to be captured and read out using a suitable scanner cash register, so that a sales price can subsequently be specified using the information contained in the optically readable code using a cash register system connected to the scanner cash register. The use of optically readable codes applied to a product packaging has become very widely accepted in recent years, in particular in retail commerce, so that an optically readable code is now applied to almost all product packaging of products.The acquisition of price information can be carried out very quickly and conveniently with modern scanner cash registers. Laborious individual acquisition of price information readable by a human and the subsequent typing in of a sales price for a product selected by a customer is no longer required.A database is usually stored in a cash register system, in which numerous information items, for example about the product located in the product package or its sales price, are stored for each individual optically readable code of a product package. A change in a sales price can therefore be made by changing the data stored in the database of the point-of-sale system without the need for a change in the optically readable code on the product packaging.While the systems frequently used in practice have proven themselves for identifying products with price information and for a payment process that can be carried out in a largely automated manner, the currently known methods are not suitable for a multiple use of product packages for which either a deposit system is provided or else an additional payment is to be paid for the purchase of the product package when the reusable product package is purchased for the first time.In the case of product packages, such as deposit bottles, which must first be cleaned or refurbished after each use and cannot be brought directly from a customer to a point of sale and can be refilled there, a deposit money paid for when the product package is purchased can be returned separately in order to be requested again by a usually different customer when the product package is used again. An optically readable code applied to such a product package therefore regularly contains price information for the product located in the product package and optionally also additional price information for the deposit raised on the product package if no standardized and uniform deposit system is used. Each time such a product package is reused, a customer must pay both the price for the product and the price for the deposit.However, such a deposit system is not equally suitable for product packages which, after use by a customer, can be brought back to a point of sale and immediately refilled there and carried along again by the same customer. It is known from practice that a customer, when entering a point of sale, must present such a product package and receive a deposit receipt which, during a subsequent payment of the refilled product package, can be settled with the deposit money otherwise required again. The use of separate deposit receipts which are distributed and subsequently settled when bringing together product packages into entry and display is very complicated and, because of the deposit receipts which cannot usually be reused, makes it ecologically of little use.It is also known from practice that, for example, an optically readable code which is attached to the product packaging and contains exclusively deposit information is manually crossed through or otherwise made unrecognizable after the product packaging has been purchased for the first time by a customer, in order not to be able to be read out again when the product packaging is used again by the customer, and therefore a deposit money is not required again. The sweeping or obscuring of optically readable codes for deposit information also requires manual intervention by sales personnel and is also not tamper proof.Various variants of the already known methods with which a deposit system can be carried out and reusable product packages can be identified and optionally also purchased are known, for example, from WO 02 / 091 313 A1, WO 2004 / 044 868 A1 or WO 2021 / 037 338 A1.It is therefore considered an object of the present invention to configure a method for presetting price information for a product located in a product packaging in such a way that the use of optically readable codes is also made possible for product packaging which can be used multiple times and in particular can be brought again by a customer after a first purchase to a point of sale and filled again there and thus used again and multiple times.This object is achieved according to the invention in that in a usage identification step, it is determined by automatically carried out detection of usage information whether the product package is used for the first time for purchase of a product or whether the product package is used again for purchase of a product, and in a subsequent price information coding step, in the case of a first use of the product package, an optically readable first use code with first use price information is applied to the product package if no first use code is yet applied to the product package, and in the price information coding step, in the case of a renewed use of the product package, an optically readable reuse code with renewed use price information is applied to the product package if no renewed use code is yet applied to the product package. The use identification step can automatically determine whether it is a product package which is acquired for the first time and therefore is to be sold, for example, with an additional deposit money or with a payment for acquiring the product package, or whether it is a renewed use of the product package and accordingly no renewed deposit money or no renewed product package fee is to be calculated. In the subsequent price information coding step, it is then ensured that, depending on the previously determined usage type, i.e. a first usage or a re-usage, an optically readable code is applied to the product package, which contains the applicable price information for a sale of the product package with a product located therein. In addition, it is checked within the scope of the price information coding step whether the applicable optically readable code is already applied to the product package or still has to be applied. After completion of the method according to the invention, the product package has either one optically readable code or two optically readable codes which can be detected with a conventional optical reading device, such as a scanner cash register, and which contain price information which is applicable to the product and the product package.By using the method according to the invention, it is consequently not necessary to modify an already established sales price determination method and thus, for example, the use of scanner cash registers at a point of sale or to perform additional measures for price determination or deposit management of reusable packages for reusable packages. A selling price determination process and the payment of the product selected by a customer for purchase can thus be performed very quickly on and with an existing cash register system with a common scanner cash register.The method according to the invention, with which the optically readable code with the correct price information on the product packaging is checked and optionally adapted, can be carried out away from a scanner cash register and the location at which the payment process takes place. For example, the method according to the invention can be carried out in an area in which the product packaging can be filled again with a product selected by a customer. It is likewise conceivable for the method according to the invention to be carried out with the aid of a product filling plant, with which a reusable product package can be filled with a product. The time required for checking and optionally adapting the optically readable code then relates exclusively to the customer who fills the product package for the first time or again. The payment process at a scanner cash register can therefore be carried out just as quickly for a product package which can be used multiple times and is used by the customer for refilling and use as can be carried out for a commercially available product package which can be used only once. There is no delay in the payment process, which also concerns subsequent customers.A product packaging that can be used multiple times can either be put into commerce for the first time already filled with a product, or else offered as an initially empty product packaging and kept ready for filling with a product individually selectable by a customer. As a function thereof, for example, in the case of an already filled product package, an optically readable first use code with first use price information can be applied to the product package. The already filled product packaging can then be selected by a customer and acquired directly. If no optically readable code with the first use price information is yet applied to the product packaging, this can be established when carrying out the method according to the invention and a corresponding optically readable first use code can be applied to the product packaging.As soon as a product package already purchased once is carried again by a customer to a point of sale and is filled there with a product, the method according to the invention determines in the usage identification step that it is a product package already purchased once and now carried again, so that an optically readable reuse code must be applied to the product package in order to be able to calculate the applicable reuse price when the product is purchased, which then does not contain a new deposit or a new product package charge.It is possible in principle and according to an optional embodiment of the inventive concept that in the price information coding step, in the event of a renewed use determined in the preceding use identification step, the optically readable re-use code is applied in a re-use code region arranged on the product package at a distance from the first use code. It is therefore not excluded that two optically readable codes are applied to the product packaging, namely a first use code and a reuse code at a distance therefrom. When purchasing a product package identified in this way, it is merely necessary to ensure that the reuse code is primarily used for ascertaining the selling price and the first use code is used for ascertaining the selling price only if no optically readable code is applied in the reuse code area provided for the reuse code.It is likewise conceivable that, when used again, both optically readable codes are detected and the reuse code contains, for example, discount information which reduces the sales price in favor of the buyer, so that a sales price contained in the first use code, which is composed of the product price and the first use fee for the product packaging, is reduced by the fee for the product packaging.In order to also make possible filling with different products or products of different cost when the product packaging is used again, it can be provided that in the price information coding step, in the case of a renewed use determined in the preceding use identification step, the optically readable first use code is changed such that it can no longer be detected with the optical reading device. The first use code can be overprinted with ink or can be glued over with an opaque cover, for example, in order to prevent the optically readable first use code from being detected with the optical reading device and being taken into account during a payment process. The reuse code may then include, upon reuse of the product package, the reuse price information appropriate for the product selected by the customer upon reuse and dispensed into the product package.According to an advantageous embodiment of the inventive concept, it is provided that in the price information coding step, in the event of renewed use determined in the preceding use identification step, the optically readable first use code is covered by a substrate covering having an optically uniform appearance, and the reuse code is applied to the substrate covering arranged on the product packaging. In this way, it can be achieved that only a single optically readable code is arranged on the product packaging in a visible manner at any time. The first use code is no longer visible after the first use of the product packaging and can no longer be accidentally read out with an optical reading device such as a scanner cash register. Since an area on the product package, which is initially provided for the first use code, is subsequently also used for the reuse code, the method according to the invention requires only a small area of a surface of the product package visible from the outside for the changing optically readable code.It is likewise possible that even when the product packaging is reused, a new price information item deviating from a previous use is to be arranged on the product packaging. In this case, in the price information coding step, a reuse code already on the product package may be covered by an optically uniform-looking background cover, and another reuse code having different price information may be arranged on the product package.According to an optional embodiment of the inventive concept, it is provided that the base cover is a sticker which is glued onto the product package. The substrate covering with an optically uniform appearance can be, for example, a sticker on which an optically readable reuse code is already mapped. This consumer use code can be printed on the sticker or subsequently applied as a separate sticker. It is likewise conceivable that a sticker with a uniform coloring and, for example, white is first applied or glued as a base cover over the first use code, and subsequently the optically readable re-use code is printed onto the base cover using a suitable printing device.Alternatively, it is optionally possible for the base covering to be a color layer which is applied to the product packaging. Thus, for example, a uniform ink layer, for example with white ink, can first be applied with a printing device. Suitable paints are known from practice and are commercially available, which can be applied homogeneously and covering the substrate using a printing device and which are sufficiently dry after a short time to be subsequently over-adhered or over-printed. It can advantageously be provided that a homogeneous and, for example, white color layer is printed first with the printing device, and the reuse code is subsequently printed with a contrasting color, such as, for example, with a black color. In order to enable the fastest possible printing operation, the printing device can have two print heads, which are each connected to a color supply.Both the first use code and the reuse code can have any conceivable format and, if appropriate, also a format differing from one another, which can be detected and interpreted as an optically readable code. Optionally, it can be provided that the first use code and / or the reuse code is a one-dimensional barcode. It is likewise conceivable for the first use code and / or the reuse code to be a two-dimensional code. The two codes can consequently be designed as a barcode and have a plurality of bars or bars arranged parallel to one another. Standards such as EAN or UPC, which are used very frequently, have been developed for identifying products. Instead of a bar code, the two codes can also comprise two-dimensional codes, such as a QR code. The optically readable first use code and the optically readable reuse code can each have the same coding format or else different coding formats.In order to enable a uniform identification and a uniform checking of the product package, it can be provided that in the usage identification step the optically readable code on the product package is detected and checked whether the detected code information corresponds to a first usage code or corresponds to a reuse code. Both the first use code and the reuse code are then applied as optically readable code on the product package. On the basis of the content of the code read out with the optical reading device, it can be determined with an evaluation device whether it is a first use code or a reuse code. In the usage identification step, consequently, only the optically readable code has to be detected and no separate method step has to be carried out for checking whether it is a first use or a renewed use of the product packaging.It is likewise possible in principle and can be provided according to one embodiment of the inventive concept that the usage information is contained in a usage information carrier arranged on the product package, which is read out in the usage identification step not with the optical reading device but with an electronic reading device. The usage information carrier can be an RFID transponder, for example. After the first use or upon a first sale, the RFID transponder can be deactivated, so that it can be established via an attempted communication with the RFID transponder whether a first use or a new use is present. It is also possible that an RFID transponder is attached to the product packaging during a first use and that it is thereby possible to establish during each subsequent use process via a communication with the RFID transponder that a new use takes place.In order to make possible the quickest possible execution of the method according to the invention, it is provided according to an embodiment of the inventive concept that the usage identification step and the price information coding step are carried out automatically with the aid of a product packaging identification device. A suitable product package identification device can be used to check for a product package what usage process is involved and whether the code that is applicable to the respective usage process is applied to the product package in order, if appropriate, to apply the applicable code that is not yet present to the product package. The individual method steps are expediently carried out without a customer having to intervene manually.For carrying out the invention, a suitable product package identification device can be used, wherein the product package identification device has a placement surface on which a product package to be identified can be arranged, wherein the product package identification device has a detection device for a usage information item and an optical reading device for detecting an optically readable code, and wherein the product package identification device has a code application device for applying an optically readable code to the product package. The product package marking device is expediently designed in such a way that the product package is arranged on the footprint by a customer and the execution of the method according to the invention is subsequently initiated either manually by the customer or automatically by detecting a product package on the footprint. During the execution of the method, the product package can be positioned with the aid of a positioning device and, if appropriate, not only fixed, but also displaced and, for example, rotated about an axis in order to be able to grasp the product package from all sides in a circumferential direction with a fixedly arranged optical reading device. The product package labeler may include a workspace containing the footprint. After the arrangement of a product packaging on the footprint, the workspace can be closed in order to carry out the method without hazardous to the environment, wherein then also no undesired interaction with customers and also no undesired manipulation can take place.Depending on the arrangement of the product package on the placement surface and a displacement that may take place with a positioning device, the product package identification device may have an optical reading device or multiple optical reading devices, with which the product package can be checked from different directions and an optically readable code can be detected on different sides of the product package. It is also conceivable that the optical reading device can be displaced by means of a suitable mechanism in order to be able to check a product packaging which is arranged in a fixed position or likewise in a displaceable manner from a plurality of viewing directions. It can likewise optionally be provided that a customer first manually brings the product package to an optical reading device and allows the optically readable code to be recorded before the customer then arranges the product package on the footprint in a suitable manner, so that the correct optically readable code can be applied to the product package by means of the code application device.In this case, it can be provided that after the product packaging has been detected by the customer using the optical reading device and after the selection of a product which has been or is to be filled into the product packaging, the customer receives a sticker with an applicable first use code or reuse code, which the customer can then apply to an area provided for this purpose on the product packaging. If necessary, it can be provided that the customer first has to select the desired product and subsequently the product packaging is marked with the first use code or reuse code applicable for this purpose. The customer can then have the product packaging identified in this way with a first use code or reuse code filled in an automated manner in a product filling system, wherein the product filling system recognizes the product desired by the customer by reading out the optically readable code and fills the product packaging with the applicable product without a further interaction with the customer.It is likewise conceivable for the code application device to have a printing device for printing an optically readable code. By using a printing device, contactless application of the correct optically readable code on the product packaging is possible. An optically readable code already located on the product packaging can optionally also be overprinted with the printing device and this can thereby prevent this code from being detected and read out with an optical reading device during a subsequent detection process either during a payment process or during a renewed execution of the method according to the invention. The printing device can be designed, for example, as an inkjet printing device and can have one or more print heads, with which the imprint can be made at a distance from the product packaging. In practice, printing devices are known with which high-quality prints of, for example, homogeneous ink surfaces or optically readable codes can be produced in a very short time. The use of suitable printing inks can ensure that a newly applied imprint is also dry even after a very short time and the product package can be removed from the product package marking device without having to fear that, for example, a newly applied optically readable code may be blurred or become indistinguishable to an optical reading device.With regard to a design of the product package identification device that is as simple and cost-effective as possible, it can optionally be provided that the detection device for the usage information is the optical reading device. In this way, both the usage information and the optically readable code can be recorded using the same optical reading device and subsequently checked using a suitable evaluation device.Product packages are known from practice on which printing with a printing device could be problematic because many commercially available printing inks do not adhere sufficiently to the surface of the product package or dry only slowly and can therefore run. In order to be able to carry out the method according to the invention also for such product packaging, it may be expedient for the product packaging identification device to have a subsurface covering application device, with which a label can be applied to the product packaging. A sticker can be applied to the product package either basically or only when product packages are identified as problematic. The sticker may either have been printed beforehand with the appropriate first use code or reuse code and subsequently be glued on, or alternatively may first be glued on to the product package with a homogeneous coloring and then be printed on with the appropriate first use code or reuse code.In order to be able to check and ensure already before the execution of the method that the product packaging is a product packaging that can be used multiple times and can be used at the point of sale, it is provided that the product packaging identification device has a product packaging identification device. The product package identification device can be, for example, a read-out device for an RFID transponder, with which a product package identified with an RFID transponder can be identified and, if appropriate, confirmed as a product package authorized for the subsequent use. In this way, it can also be ruled out without the reading of an optically readable code or additionally that a product package which is not suitable or not provided for this purpose or which cannot be or is not intended to be used at the relevant point of sale is used for refilling with a product.If a plurality of identical optically readable codes are to be arranged on the product packaging, for example, on a plurality of side faces of the product packaging, the method according to the invention can also be carried out in such a way that a plurality of identical reuse codes are applied to the plurality of reuse code regions at the given time in the price information coding step or their presence is checked and confirmed. The product package identification device can be configured accordingly. For this purpose, it can be provided that the product package identification device either identifies a product package or the product package to be identified at the moment is communicated, for example, from a product filling system, then, on the basis of knowledge about the product package, retrieves the plurality of reuse code areas from an internal or external data storage device and then applies an identical reuse code in each of the reuse code areas or checks and establishes the presence thereof. It is also possible for the product package identification device to identify the plurality of reuse code areas on a product package with the aid of an optical detection device and an evaluation device evaluating optical image information and then to confirm or apply an identical reuse code in each of the identified reuse code areas.The invention also relates to a product filling system for filling a product into the product packaging, wherein the product filling system is configured to carry out the method according to the invention. The product filling system expediently has a product packaging marking device according to the invention.Exemplary embodiments of the inventive concept are explained in more detail below, which are schematically illustrated in the drawing. It shows: FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a method sequence according to the invention, FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a differently configured method sequence according to the invention, FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a method sequence according to the invention, which is again configured differently, FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a product package labeler according to the invention; and FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a product filling plant according to the invention, which is set up to carry out the method according to the invention and has a product packaging marking device according to the invention.FIG. 1 shows a schematic sequence of a method according to the invention, which is illustrated by way of example. In a starting step 1, the execution of the method is initially initiated. This can be effected, for example, by a manual action or by an actuation of an activation device by a customer who wishes to purchase a product with a product packaging 2 at a point of sale. The starting step 1 can also be triggered automatically, for example by a customer feeding a product package 2 to a product package identification device 3 shown in FIG. 4 and explained in more detail below. The starting step 1 can also be triggered and carried out automatically in a product filling plant 4 shown in FIG. 5 and explained in more detail below.In a product package identification step 5, it is determined, for example, with a suitable product identification device whether the product package 2 is a product package 2 that can be used multiple times and whether the product package 2 is suitable and provided for carrying out the method according to the invention. If it is determined in the product package identification step 5 that it is not a suitable or permissible product package 2, the method is terminated in a termination step 6. The product package 2 cannot then be identified in a simple manner during a payment process as a product package 2 used for the first time or reused and can be calculated correctly to the customer, so that a manual price determination usually has to take place.If it is a suitable and permissible product packaging 2, it is determined in a usage identification step 7 whether it is a first use of the product packaging 2 or whether it is a renewed use of the product packaging 2. Subsequently, a price information coding step is carried out, which, depending on the embodiment of the method, contains a plurality of method steps and leads to the product packaging 2 being provided, after the end of the method, with an optically readable code, which contains the applicable price information or can be linked thereto by a point-of-sale system.If the product packaging 2 is used for the first time, which can be checked and determined, for example, by the absence of an optically readable code in a code area 8 provided for this purpose on the product packaging 2 using an optical reading device not shown separately in FIGS. 1 to 3, an optically readable first-time code 10 is applied to the code area 8 in a subsequent first-time code application step 9.If, on the other hand, the product packaging 2 is reused, which can be determined, for example, by the presence of an optically readable code in the code area 8 provided for this purpose, in a subsequent underlying covering step 11 the first use code 10 located on the product packaging 2 or a reuse code 12 already attached above it can be covered with an underlying covering. The background covering can be, for example, a sticker glued on with an application device or a colour layer which is printed on the code region 8 provided for an optically readable code with a printing device.Subsequently, a reuse code 12 is applied to the product package 2 in a reuse code application step 13 in the code area 8 provided for this purpose.If it is determined at the beginning of the price information coding step that the product package 2 is reused and that the applicable reuse code 12 is already applied to the product package 2, the underlying covering step 11 and the reuse code applying step 13 can be skipped, so that an optically readable code does not have to be applied to the product package 2 again.The product package 2 provided with the correct optically readable code can then be detected with a scanner cash register in a product acquisition step 14 during a payment process like any other product package and the correct price information can be determined automatically by reading out the optically readable code.FIG. 2 shows, by way of example, a variant of the method according to the invention in which, instead of a single code region 8 provided for an optically readable code, a first use code region 15 and, at a distance from this, a separate reuse code region 16 are provided on the product packaging 2. In the following, only a few differences from the method sequence described above will be discussed.In a first use code area checking step 17, a check is made as part of the use identification step 7 and it is established whether a first use code 10 is applied in the first use code area 15. If this is the case, in the underlying covering step 11 the first use code area 15 is covered with an underlying covering, so that the first use code 10 can no longer be detected with an optical reading device. Subsequently, in the reuse code applying step 13, the reuse code 12 is applied in the reuse code area 16. The product package 2 thus marked can then be used for the product acquisition step 14.If no first use code 10 is applied in the first use code area 15, it is determined in the use identification step 7 whether it is a first use of the product packaging 2 or whether it is a renewed use of the product packaging 2. In the case of a first use of the product packaging 2, an optically readable first use code 10 is applied to the first use code area 15 in the subsequent first use code application step 9. However, if the product packaging 2 is reused, it can be checked whether the applicable reuse code 12 is already applied in the reuse code area 16. In this case, no further measure is required and the product package 2 can be used directly for the product acquisition step 14. Otherwise, the reuse code area 16 must first be covered with a ground covering with the ground covering step 11 and then the applicable reuse code 12 must be applied to the reuse code area 16 in the reuse code applying step 13.In the variant of the method according to the invention illustrated by way of example in FIG. 3, it is determined not on the basis of an optically readable code but on the basis of an RFID transponder 18 whether the product packaging 2 is used for the first time or the product packaging 2 is used again subsequently. This can be done, for example, by an RFID read attempt, which is carried out within the scope of the use identification step 7. If the RFID transponder 18 can be read out, it is a first use of the product packaging 2. in a price adaptation step 20, for example, a separate product packaging fee for the purchase of the product packaging 2 or a deposit for the first use of the product packaging 2 is determined with the aid of a cash register system. Subsequently, the RFID transponder 18 is rendered inoperative in an RFID deactivation step 21. If, on the other hand, the RFID transponder 18 cannot be read out in the usage identification step 7, because it has already been deactivated, the product packaging 2 is reused and no further measures are required.It is likewise conceivable that the product packaging 2 is used during the first use initially without an RFID transponder 18 and in the product acquisition step 14 after payment of the product with the product packaging 2 an RFID transponder 18 is applied to the product packaging 2. In the usage identification step 7, it can then be established on the basis of a successful RFID read attempt that the product package 2 is reused.FIG. 4 shows only schematically a product packaging marking device 3. The product package identification device 3 has a placement surface 22 for the product package 2. The product package identification device 3 further comprises an optical reading device 23 and a code application device 24, which in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 comprises a printing device. The product packaging identification device 3 can optionally also have an RFID reading device 25. The individual components 23, 24 and 25 are each connected to an evaluation and control device 26. The components 23, 24 and 25 can be controlled centrally and the data recorded with the optical reading device 23 or the RFID reading device 25 can be evaluated centrally. The evaluation and control device 26 can be connected to a cash register system, not shown.FIG. 5 likewise merely schematically illustrates a product filling system 4 which has a product packaging marking device 3. The product filling system 4 additionally has a product filling device 27. The product package marking device 3 additionally has a substrate cover application device 28, with which, for example, a label can be applied to the product package 2.Both the product packaging marking device 3 and the product filling plant 4 are each designed and configured in such a way that a variant of the method according to the invention can be carried out therewith. Depending on the respective variant, the product packaging marking device 3 or the product filling system 4 have the respectively required components.Various individual method steps described above can also be combined with one another or embedded in a different method sequence.

Claims

Method for presetting price information for a product which can be purchased at a point of sale by a customer against payment for a purchase price, wherein the price information is contained in an optically readable code which is arranged on a reusable product package (2) such that it can be seen from the outside and can be detected with an optical reading device (23), characterized in that in a usage identification step (7) it is determined by automatically carried out detection of usage information whether the product package (2) is used for the first time for purchase of a product or whether the product package (2) is used again for purchase of a product, and in that in a subsequent price information coding step, in the case of the first use of the product package (2), an optically readable first use code (10) with first use price information is applied to the product package (2), if no first use code (10) is yet applied to the product packaging (29, and if, in the price information coding step, in the event of renewed use of the product packaging (2), an optically readable reuse code (12) with renewed use price information is applied to the product packaging (2), if no renewed use code (12) is yet applied to the product packaging (2).Method according to claim 1, characterised in that in the price information coding step, in the event of a renewed use determined in the preceding use identification step (7), the optically readable re-use code (12) is applied in a re-use code region (16) arranged on the product packaging (2) at a distance from the first use code (10).Method according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, characterized in that, in the price information coding step, in the event of renewed use determined in the preceding use identification step (7), the optically readable first use code (10) is modified in such a way that it can no longer be detected by the optical reading device (23).Method according to claim 3, characterised in that in the price information coding step, in the event of renewed use determined in the preceding use identification step (7), the optically readable first use code (10) is covered by a substrate covering which appears optically uniform, and the reuse code (12) is applied to the substrate covering arranged on the product packaging (29.Method according to claim 4, characterised in that the base covering is a sticker which is glued to the product packaging (2).Method according to claim 4, characterised in that the background covering is a colour layer which is applied to the product packaging (2).Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the optically readable first use code (10) and the optically readable re-use code (12) each have the same coding format.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first use code (10) and / or the reuse code (12) is a one-dimensional barcode.Method according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first use code (10) and / or the reuse code (12) is a two-dimensional code.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the usage identification step (7) the optically readable code (10, 12) on the product packaging (2) is detected and checked whether the detected code information corresponds to a first usage code (10) or corresponds to a reuse code (12).Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the usage information is contained in a usage information carrier arranged on the product package (2), which is read out in the usage identification step (7) not with the optical reading device (23) but with an electronic reading device.Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the usage identification step (7) and the price information coding step are carried out automatically with the aid of a product packaging identification device (3).Product filling system (4) for filling a product into the product packaging, characterized in that the product filling system (4) is configured to carry out the method according to one of Claims 1 to 12.

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