The marking code is completely missing: what can still be done?
| Product | Inventory status | Item identifier |
|---|---|---|
 Water 0.6 L | × Withdrawn | (01)09506000134352 |
| Water 0.6 L | × Withdrawn | (01)09506000134352 |
| Water 0.6 L | ✓ In stock | (01)09506000134352 |
| Water 0.6 L | × Withdrawn | (01)09506000134352 |
| Water 0.6 L | × Withdrawn | (01)09506000134352 |
| Water 0.6 L | × Withdrawn | (01)09506000134352 |
If the marking image is completely gone, there is no picture left to decode. At that point the problem shifts from computer vision to product traceability records.
Many products are received inside aggregated or grouped packaging. That means a distributor, store or manufacturer may still have a record of which individual codes were inside a given shipment.
In practice you may know the GTIN, the quantity received, the quantity sold and the individual codes of the items that remain. The missing unit can sometimes be identified by elimination.
Once the likely serial number is known, the full original marking record can be requested from the supplier or manufacturer if it was retained.
If the full record cannot be obtained, re-marking may need to be considered. But if shipment data exists, it is still worth attempting identification first.
So a completely missing label is not always a dead end — it simply requires a different type of evidence.