EDIFACT in Belgium — retail

Belgium ranks among the most mature EDI markets in Europe. Belgian retail exchanges ~250 million EDIFACT/EANCOM messages per year with its suppliers via the Delhaize, Carrefour Belgium, Colruyt Group, Aldi, Lidl, Spar and Cora chains. The January 2026 PEPPOL-BIS 3.0 mandate does not replace EDIFACT — it adds the fiscal dimension on top.

Chains and their EDI portals

GS1 Belgilux EANCOM 2002 subset

GS1 Belgilux maintains an EANCOM 2002 subset specific to Belgium and Luxembourg. Main specifics:

• Belgian GLNs (Global Location Number): systematic 54001 prefix for Belgian chains, followed by a 5-digit issuer number and a 3-digit check.
• Belgian GTIN-13 products: prefix 54 (Belgium) or 53 (Luxembourg), followed by the supplier and product reference.
• UNECE Recommendation 20 codes: Belgian units often in kg (KGM), litres (LTR), pieces (PCE), consumer units (PR).
• Currency codes: EUR only (Belgium switched to the euro on 1 January 2002, in parallel with the introduction of EANCOM 2002).
• Bilingual: product descriptions (IMD segment) are often maintained in two languages (FR + NL) in Belgian chains' product master files.

Daily messages

Anatomy of a Delhaize ORDERS

Here is a typical Delhaize order (subset EAN 010 ORDERS D.01B), with two lines — a classic of premium cooked ham:

UNB+UNOC:3+5400112000005:14+5400123000003:14+260519:0915+DH00012087'
UNH+1+ORDERS:D:01B:UN:EAN010'
BGM+220+DH-2026-91-000119+9'
DTM+137:20260519:102'
DTM+2:20260521:102'
DTM+10:20260521:102'
RFF+CT:DH-FRAMECONTRACT-2024-7821'
NAD+BY+5400112000005::9'
NAD+SU+5400123000003::9'
NAD+DP+5400112900037::9'
NAD+IV+5400112000005::9'
CUX+2:EUR:9'
LIN+1++5410104003097:EN'
PIA+1+10001234:SA'
IMD+F++:::Cooked sliced ham Delhaize 200g'
QTY+21:432'
PRI+AAA:2.89'
LIN+2++5410104003110:EN'
PIA+1+10001235:SA'
IMD+F++:::Braised ham slices 250g'
QTY+21:264'
PRI+AAA:3.49'
UNS+S'
CNT+2:2'
UNT+18+1'
UNZ+1+DH00012087'

• UNB — Interchange header: sender Delhaize GLN 5400112000005, recipient supplier GLN 5400123000003, date 19 May 2026, interchange ID DH00012087.
• UNH — Message header: EANCOM 2002 EAN010 version for ORDERS.
• BGM 220 — Commercial order. Delhaize internal number DH-2026-91-000119. Action code 9 = original.
• DTM 137 — Issue date 20260519. DTM 2 / DTM 10 — Requested delivery date 20260521 (D+2).
• RFF CT — Annual framework contract reference DH-FRAMECONTRACT-2024-7821.
• NAD BY/SU/DP/IV — Buyer (Delhaize Brussels), Supplier, Delivery Point (Delhaize Zellik platform), Invoice Recipient.
• CUX 2:EUR — Currency EUR.
• LIN/PIA/IMD/QTY/PRI — Two product lines (GTIN-13, EN label, quantity, negotiated price).

DESADV, SSCC and pallet handling

The DESADV despatch advice is crucial for supply chain traceability. It carries the SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) that identifies each logistical pallet uniquely.

UNB+UNOC:3+5400123000003:14+5400112000005:14+260521:1410+DES000412'
UNH+1+DESADV:D:01B:UN:EAN005'
BGM+351+DES-2026-000412+9'
DTM+137:20260521:102'
DTM+11:20260521:102'
RFF+ON:DH-2026-91-000119'
NAD+SU+5400123000003::9'
NAD+BY+5400112000005::9'
NAD+DP+5400112900037::9'
CPS+1'
PAC+12'
PCI+33E+054001230000004127:SSCC'
LIN+1++5410104003097:EN'
QTY+12:432'
LIN+2++5410104003110:EN'
QTY+12:264'
UNS+S'
CNT+2:2'
UNT+15+1'
UNZ+1+DES000412'

• CPS — Consignment Packing Sequence.
• PAC 12 — EUR pallet (1,200 × 800 mm, GS1 PAC type 12).
• PCI 33E + SSCC — 18-digit SSCC: 054001230000004127. Prefix 0 (Extension Digit) + supplier GLN 5400123000003 + sequential reference 4127.

Belgian EDI networks and providers

• Generix (Belgium): ~30% of the Belgian retail EDI market. Generix Collaborative Network platform + EDI hub.
• SEEBURGER (Belgium): ~20%, focus Aldi/Lidl (strong German presence).
• TIE Kinetix: ~15%, strong on the Netherlands / Belgium flows (Albert Heijn, Spar).
• Unifiedpost (Doccle / Codabox): ~12%, strong growth with PEPPOL adoption.
• Cegeka: ~8%, focus large industrial accounts.
• Internal hub (Colruyt EDI Hub): Colruyt operates its own hub from Halle. No external provider.
• SPS Commerce / GHX: Delhaize uses US platforms for Ahold Delhaize cross-border flows.
• Dominant protocols: AS2 (~60% since 2010), AS4 PEPPOL (~10% growing), OFTP / SFTP / proprietary VAN (~30% declining).

Volumes and market share

• Total estimated volume: 250 million EDIFACT/EANCOM messages per year in Belgian retail (2024).
• Top message: ORDERS (~25%), DESADV (~20%), INVOIC (~18%), RECADV (~12%).
• Top chain by volume: Colruyt Group (~70 million/year with its 700+ main suppliers), Delhaize (~60 million), Carrefour BE (~45 million).
• EDI penetration: ~95% of the top 7 food chains' suppliers use EDIFACT. Small producers (< EUR 1M turnover with the chain) may remain on EDI light (CSV) or a web portal.
• Cost ratio: EUR 0.02 to 0.15 per message exchanged via a provider, vs ~EUR 1 to 3 per equivalent paper invoice.

Coexistence with the 2026 mandate

The Royal Decree of 20 March 2025 imposes PEPPOL-BIS 3.0 for the fiscal invoice. EDIFACT/EANCOM remains used for the entire supply chain cycle:

• EDIFACT for orders, deliveries, stocks: ORDERS, DESADV, RECADV, INVRPT, SLSRPT continue to operate without change after January 2026.
• Possible duplicate for INVOIC: two practical scenarios:
  • (a) PEPPOL-BIS 3.0 has fiscal precedence, the EDIFACT INVOIC becomes a redundant service message (operational convenience).
  • (b) INVOIC → UBL PEPPOL conversion by the supplier's sender AP in the background, transparent to the recipient chain.
• No abrupt migration: Belgian chains (Colruyt, Delhaize) have publicly announced they will maintain EDIFACT for supply chain at least 5 years after 2026.

Cross-links

• Belgium hub — full e-invoicing mandate
• Royal Decree of 20 March 2025
• PEPPOL-BIS 3.0 Belgium
• EDIFACT automotive Belgium
• CODA and financial EDI
• Belgian VAT regimes
• GS1 Belgilux
• UN/EDIFACT — UN/CEFACT