Container for a beverage preparation machine or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff material and comprising a code encoding preparation information, the code comprising a data portion, the data portion comprising a data unit, the container being characterised by: a reference portion, the reference portion comprising reference units defining a reference line (r), the reference units being arranged with a configuration selected from a group comprising a triangle, a right angled triangle, an isosceles triangle, a square and/or other polygon comprising up to 8 vertices, wherein the configuration: - defines a reference point from which the reference line (r) extends - uniquely defines a single direction in which the reference line (r) extends, the direction being at least one selected from a group comprising a line of symmetry, one or more reference units, a line parallel to a line extending through one or more reference units, of the configuration; wherein said data unit is arranged on an encoding line that intersects the reference line (r), the data unit is arranged at a distance (d) from said intersection along the encoding line as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter ( V p) of the preparation information, whereby said encoding line is circular and is arranged with a tangent thereto orthogonal the reference line (r) at said intersection point, wherein the configuration is located entirely within a locus defined by the or each encoding line; and wherein the direction of the reference line (r) is further defined by or corrected with at least one of: - a data unit at one of a plurality of discrete positions arranged within a planform of the code and external the locus defined by the or each encoding line, whereby said discrete positions either comprise or do not comprise a unit as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information; - a like configuration of reference units of another code, adjacent to said code, wherein the reference line (r) is arranged to extend though a reference point defined by the configuration of said another code or at a known offset from a reference point defined by the configuration of said another code. a reference portion, the reference portion comprising reference units defining a reference line (r), the reference units being arranged with a configuration selected from a group comprising a triangle, a right angled triangle, an isosceles triangle, a square and/or other polygon comprising up to 8 vertices, wherein the configuration: - defines a reference point from which the reference line (r) extends - uniquely defines a single direction in which the reference line (r) extends, the direction being at least one selected from a group comprising a line of symmetry, one or more reference units, a line parallel to a line extending through one or more reference units, of the configuration; wherein said data unit is arranged on an encoding line that intersects the reference line (r), the data unit is arranged at a distance (d) from said intersection along the encoding line as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter ( V p) of the preparation information, whereby said encoding line is circular and is arranged with a tangent thereto orthogonal the reference line (r) at said intersection point, wherein the configuration is located entirely within a locus defined by the or each encoding line; and - defines a reference point from which the reference line (r) extends - uniquely defines a single direction in which the reference line (r) extends, the direction being at least one selected from a group comprising a line of symmetry, one or more reference units, a line parallel to a line extending through one or more reference units, of the configuration; wherein said data unit is arranged on an encoding line that intersects the reference line (r), the data unit is arranged at a distance (d) from said intersection along the encoding line as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter ( V p) of the preparation information, whereby said encoding line is circular and is arranged with a tangent thereto orthogonal the reference line (r) at said intersection point, wherein the configuration is located entirely within a locus defined by the or each encoding line; and wherein the direction of the reference line (r) is further defined by or corrected with at least one of: - a data unit at one of a plurality of discrete positions arranged within a planform of the code and external the locus defined by the or each encoding line, whereby said discrete positions either comprise or do not comprise a unit as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information; - a like configuration of reference units of another code, adjacent to said code, wherein the reference line (r) is arranged to extend though a reference point defined by the configuration of said another code or at a known offset from a reference point defined by the configuration of said another code. - a data unit at one of a plurality of discrete positions arranged within a planform of the code and external the locus defined by the or each encoding line, whereby said discrete positions either comprise or do not comprise a unit as a variable to at least partially encode a parameter of the preparation information; - a like configuration of reference units of another code, adjacent to said code, wherein the reference line (r) is arranged to extend though a reference point defined by the configuration of said another code or at a known offset from a reference point defined by the configuration of said another code.