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Retail is moving toward 2D barcodes, including GS1-standard QR Codes and GS1 DataMatrix, but traditional UPC and EAN barcodes will not disappear worldwide on January 1, 2027. “Sunrise 2027” is primarily a goal for retail point-of-sale systems to read and process compliant 2D codes by the end of 2027. For brands, retailers, investors, and shoppers, the practical outcome is a long coexistence period in which one package may carry both the familiar striped barcode and a square 2D symbol.
What is changing in retail?
A conventional UPC or EAN barcode generally identifies a product through its GTIN, or Global Trade Item Number. It tells a checkout system which product is being sold, but it carries relatively little additional information.
A 2D barcode stores data horizontally and vertically. Depending on the format and implementation, it can carry or provide access to a GTIN, lot or batch number, expiration date, serial number, product variant, and other information. That makes the retail barcode potentially useful not only at checkout, but also for inventory, recalls, expiry management, logistics, and consumer information.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The important distinction is that QR Code is only one kind of 2D barcode. GS1’s retail program also supports GS1 DataMatrix for defined use cases. A QR code linking to a marketing page is not automatically a retail-ready barcode. A compliant retail implementation must use the appropriate GS1 structure and product identifier.
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What “Sunrise 2027” really means
GS1’s “Ambition 2027” is an industry objective: retail point-of-sale systems should be capable of reading and processing defined GS1-standard 2D barcodes globally by the end of 2027. It is a capability milestone, not a universal law requiring every package to remove its UPC or EAN barcode by that date.
GS1 expects the transition to take years. Packaging cycles, scanner hardware, point-of-sale software, suppliers, distributors, and retailers cannot all change at once. Brands can therefore begin by placing a compliant 2D code beside the existing 1D barcode, while retailers continue supporting both formats. See GS1’s explanations of Ambition 2027 and the expected transition timeline.
Ordinary QR codes versus GS1 retail barcodes
| Format | Typical purpose | Retail-ready by default? | Product identity |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPC or EAN | Checkout product identification | Generally yes in current systems | GTIN |
| Ordinary QR code | Marketing URL, menu, campaign, or information page | No | Not necessarily |
| GS1 QR Code with Digital Link | Product identity connected to checkout and web content | Designed for this use | GTIN plus optional structured data or linked information |
| GS1 DataMatrix | Compact structured data carrier for defined GS1 use cases | Designed for relevant implementations | GTIN and other GS1 data elements |
GS1 Digital Link is the standards-based method for connecting a product identifier to online information and services. It can allow a printed code to remain unchanged while the linked product content is updated, provided the resolver and underlying data remain available.
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- A camera-based scanner captures the 2D symbol.
- Point-of-sale software decodes the GS1 structure.
- The system extracts the GTIN and any supported application-identifier data, such as lot or expiration information.
- The GTIN is used for the normal product lookup and transaction process.
- If the retailer’s systems support additional fields, they can be used for inventory, expiry, recall, or other workflows.
The checkout system does not necessarily need to open the web page represented by a GS1 Digital Link URI to complete a sale. It needs to decode and process the product identifier and any supported data. A smartphone scan follows a different path: the phone opens the Digital Link URI, which can resolve to consumer-facing product information, instructions, recipes, recycling details, promotions, or other services.
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- 【Digital and Printed 1D 2D QR Bar Code Symbologies】1D: Codabar, Code 11, Code93, MSI, Code 128, UCC/EAN-128, Code 39, EAN-8, EAN-13, UPC-A, ISBN, Industrial 25, Interleaved 25, Standard25, Matrix 2D: QR, DataMatrix, Aztec, Hanxin, Micro PDF417. (Note: Not compatible with Square.)
Why retailers and brands want 2D codes
More useful product data
Unlike a basic product identifier, a 2D code can support information such as lot numbers, expiration dates, serial numbers, ingredients, allergens, certifications, recycling guidance, and usage instructions. The code may store some data directly or point to a system that holds it.
More precise recalls
A traditional UPC usually identifies a product type. A 2D code can add lot-, batch-, or serial-level details, potentially allowing a retailer to identify affected units more precisely during a recall. That benefit is not automatic: manufacturers and retailers must capture, maintain, and share accurate records connecting identifiers to production, distribution, inventory, and sales events.
Expiry management and waste reduction
Expiration data could help retailers rotate stock, withdraw expired goods, or apply targeted markdowns. These outcomes depend on POS configuration, inventory software, data quality, and store procedures. Printing a QR code alone does not automatically change a price or remove an expired item from a shelf.
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A smartphone scan can lead to product details, allergen information, preparation instructions, sustainability information, provenance, authenticity workflows, recipes, videos, promotions, or loyalty experiences. GS1 US reported that 79% of respondents in its 2025 consumer survey were more likely to purchase products with a scannable QR code offering additional information. That is a GS1 US-commissioned survey statistic, not an independent global measure of consumer behavior.
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- 【Digital and Printed 1D 2D QR Bar Code Symbologies】1D: Codabar, Code 11, Code93, MSI, Code 128, UCC/EAN-128, Code 39, EAN-8, EAN-13, UPC-A, ISBN, Industrial 25, Interleaved 25, Standard25, Matrix 2D: QR, DataMatrix, PDF417, Aztec, Hanxin, Micro PDF417. (Note: Not compatible with Square.)
What brands should do
A practical approach is to move from a low-risk pilot to broader operational use.
1. Crawl: add capability without abandoning the old barcode
- Keep the existing UPC or EAN barcode.
- Add a compliant 2D barcode using the product’s valid GTIN.
- Confirm that the target retailer can read and process the symbol.
- Test symbol size, contrast, quiet zones, placement, curvature, glare, and print quality.
- Ensure the two codes are not so close together that scanners select the wrong one.
2. Walk: connect the code to business data
- Add production, lot, expiry, serial, or variant data where it creates operational value.
- Connect the code to accurate product information and consumer content.
- Update packaging artwork and specifications.
- Coordinate with contract manufacturers, printers, distributors, and retailers.
- Test checkout, receiving, warehouse, inventory, and returns workflows.
3. Run: use the data operationally
- Support recalls, expiry management, authentication, inventory, and consumer engagement.
- Maintain the resolver or product-information infrastructure.
- Define ownership for product data, domains, URLs, permissions, and content updates.
- Measure scan performance and business outcomes.
Brands should evaluate retailer acceptance, standards compliance, packaging space, print quality, ERP/PIM/WMS integration, data governance, analytics, privacy, scalability, domain ownership, export rights, and fallback procedures. A dynamic QR provider may offer useful analytics but can also become a long-term infrastructure dependency if the brand cannot migrate the URL or data later.
What retailers must upgrade
Retailers need more than QR-reading hardware. They must validate the complete checkout and supply-chain workflow.
- Audit whether scanners are image-based and capable of reading 2D symbols.
- Upgrade scanners where required.
- Upgrade POS software and middleware.
- Confirm that systems can extract the GTIN from compliant 2D codes.
- Decide how to process lot, serial, expiration, and other application-identifier data.
- Test staffed checkout, self-checkout, handheld devices, receiving, warehouses, returns, and offline operation.
- Establish fallback rules when a 2D code is unreadable or unsupported.
- Coordinate technical requirements with suppliers and private-label manufacturers.
- Continue supporting existing 1D barcodes throughout the migration.
GS1 notes that scanner hardware upgrades may be necessary when existing equipment is not imager-capable, while software changes are needed to process 2D information appropriately.
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- 【1D 2D QR code Programmable】2D: QR code, Data Matrix, PDF417(including PDF417 on driver’s license), Aztec, Maxicode, Micro QR, Micro PDF417; 1D: UPC/EAN, Code 128/EAN128, GS1-128, ISBT-128, Standard 2 of 5, Matrix 2 of 5, Code 39, Code 32, Code 93, Code 11, Codabar, PLESSEY, MSI, GSI Databar, ITF-14, GS1.
What shoppers are likely to notice
In the near term, shoppers may see a familiar striped barcode and a square 2D code printed on the same package. The square code may be useful for phone-based product information, while the retailer may still use the 1D barcode at checkout.
Rollout will vary by country, retailer, product category, packaging cycle, and supply-chain readiness. The presence of a QR code does not prove that it can be used at checkout. Conversely, a retailer may be able to read a 2D symbol but not yet use every lot, expiry, or serial field encoded within it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Costs and commercial decisions
The expensive part of the transition is often not generating a square image. It is upgrading scanners and POS systems, integrating product data, verifying packaging, maintaining resolvers, and coordinating trading partners.
Identifiers
Brands need valid product identifiers before creating a retail-ready implementation. GS1 US currently lists a single GTIN at $30 with no annual renewal fee shown, while company-prefix packages range from $250 for 10 items to $10,500 for 100,000 items, with annual renewal fees. These are U.S.-specific prices and may change; businesses should verify current terms directly with GS1 US.
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- 【1D 2D QR Scanner】：Supports Both Digital and Printed 1D 2D QR Bar Code Symbologies: 1D Decode Capability: Codabar, Code 11, Code93, MSI, Code 128, UCC/EAN-128, Code 39, EAN-8, EAN-13, UPC-A, ISBN, Industrial 25, Interleaved 25, Standard 25, 2/5 Matrix 2D Decode Capability: QR, PDF417, Data Matrix, Aztec code, Maxi Code.
Digital Link infrastructure
Hosted Digital Link platforms can provide code generation, resolution, product pages, and analytics. For example, Digital Link’s pricing page lists a free plan for up to five codes and paid plans with higher limits. Such pricing is vendor-specific, not a universal industry cost. Brands should examine uptime, domain ownership, data export, API access, integration depth, plan limits, and what happens to permanently printed links if a subscription ends.
Solution partners
GS1 US maintains a solution-provider directory covering barcode creation, Digital Link, product-information management, POS readiness, logistics, and consumer engagement. A directory listing is not a recommendation. Retailers and brands should compare compatibility testing, implementation support, data ownership, security, portability, and ongoing support.
Generic QR-code platforms can be useful for marketing campaigns, but a low-cost QR generator is not automatically a Sunrise 2027 solution. It may lack a valid GTIN structure, GS1 Digital Link resolution, POS compatibility, lot or expiry workflows, and durable control over packaging links.
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Important limitations and failure modes
- A marketing QR code may contain only a URL and no usable GTIN.
- A valid code may be too small, damaged, glossy, curved, transparent, or poorly printed to scan reliably.
- Two nearby symbols may cause the scanner to read the wrong code.
- The consumer URL may work even though the retailer POS cannot extract the GTIN.
- The POS may read the GTIN but ignore lot or expiry data.
- A resolver may fail, a domain may change, or a subscription may expire after packaging is printed.
- Different regions may need different languages or product disclosures.
- Offline checkout may not be able to reach a resolver.
- Repeating one code across multiple lots cannot provide lot-level identification.
- A copied QR image can be placed on counterfeit packaging; QR codes alone do not prevent counterfeiting.
Privacy and accessibility questions
Consumer-facing scans can provide useful information, but they may also generate analytics about time, location, device, or campaign activity. Brands should explain what is collected, whether consent is required, whether content works without an account, and what happens if the resolver is unavailable.
A QR code should not become the only route to essential safety, allergen, price, or usage information. Some consumers lack smartphones, reliable connectivity, adequate vision, or the ability to scan a small or damaged symbol. Important information still needs an accessible printed or otherwise available alternative.
Bottom line for businesses and investors
The global retail barcode is evolving rather than vanishing. By the end of 2027, the industry goal is broad retail POS capability for GS1-standard 2D barcodes—not the immediate removal of every UPC and EAN code.
For brands, the sensible strategy is to preserve the existing 1D fallback, add a standards-compliant 2D code, and build the data and operational systems needed to make it useful. For retailers, readiness means upgrading hardware, software, workflows, and supplier testing. For shoppers, the visible change will likely be more square symbols on packages and richer optional product information, not a sudden overnight replacement of every striped barcode.
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