A container for a beverage or foodstuff preparation machine, the container for containing beverage or foodstuff preparation material and including on a surface thereof an arrangement of separate codes encoding preparation information, whereby each code encodes a distinct phase of a preparation process. Also disclosed is a beverage or foodstuff preparation system including the container and an attachment configured for attachment to an element of the system. Further disclosed is a computer program and non-transitory computer readable medium for use therewith. Also disclosed are methods of producing and using these devices and apparatuses.