Every POS scanner in the world must read 2D barcodes by end of 2027. Is your packaging ready?
GS1 Sunrise 2027 is the coordinated industry transition from 1D linear barcodes to 2D barcodes — specifically QR codes built to the GS1 Digital Link standard. By December 31, 2027, retail point-of-sale systems in 48+ countries must be capable of scanning and processing these codes. Walmart, Carrefour, Albert Heijn, Tesco, and Woolworths are among the retailers that have published 2D roadmaps and are upgrading scanner hardware now.
If your product packaging carries only a traditional 1D barcode today, you have two choices: reprint before 2027, or accept that some POS systems will not process your product after the deadline.
Your competition is already running pilots. Here is how you catch up in 30 days.
GS1 Sunrise 2027 is an industry-coordinated commitment, not an EU government regulation. But because the world's largest retailers have signed on, supplier compliance is commercially mandatory. "Voluntary standard" means you chose to comply; "retailer vendor manual" means you had no choice.
What is GS1 Digital Link?
A traditional 1D barcode on a product package encodes only the GTIN — the product number. It has one audience: the POS scanner. It cannot be scanned by a consumer's phone to show product information. It cannot encode batch or expiry data without switching to a different, POS-incompatible format.
A GS1 Digital Link QR code encodes a structured URL that contains the GTIN plus optional identifiers. The exact same code:
- Scans at retail checkout — the POS software extracts the GTIN from the URL path and processes the transaction, exactly like a 1D barcode
- Opens a product page for consumers — any smartphone camera opens the URL, showing ingredients, sustainability data, recipes, or a warranty registration form
- Carries supply chain data — batch number, serial number, and expiry date are encoded in the same URL, readable by warehouse management systems
A GS1 Digital Link URL looks like this:
https://id.gs1.org/01/05901234123457/10/BATCH-A/21/SN0001?17=271231
/01/= GTIN Application Identifier/10/= Batch/lot number/21/= Serial number?17== Expiry date (YYMMDD)
The structure follows the GS1 Digital Link standard. QR-Verse generates this URI automatically — you enter your GTIN and identifiers, the platform builds the correct URL and encodes it into a scannable QR code.
The Sunrise 2027 timeline for your category
| Category | What changes | When |
|---|---|---|
| Retail grocery | POS scanners must accept GS1 Digital Link QR codes alongside 1D barcodes | December 31, 2027 |
| General merchandise | Same 2D acceptance requirement | December 31, 2027 |
| Pharmaceuticals | EU Falsified Medicines Directive + US DSCSA already drive 2D serialization | Phased, 2024–2026 |
| EU batteries | Digital Product Passport mandatory, GS1 Digital Link recommended carrier | February 18, 2027 |
| EU textiles & furniture | Digital Product Passport, DL preferred | 2027–2028 |
The Sunrise 2027 deadline is the checkout POS scanning requirement. The EU Digital Product Passport requirements layer on top for specific product categories. Both converge on the same solution: a GS1 Digital Link QR code on the packaging.
Read the full regulatory context at /blog/eu-digital-product-passport-qr-code-guide.
The 30-day path to a compliant pilot
Most SMB manufacturers and retailers do not need to convert their full catalog by day one. Start with your highest-volume SKU:
- Get your GTIN — if you do not have one, register a Company Prefix at your local GS1 member organisation (GS1 US, GS1 Germany, GS1 Netherlands, etc.). GTIN registration is a GS1 membership requirement — QR-Verse cannot issue GTINs.
- Generate the code — use the GS1 Digital Link generator to build a compliant URI and QR code. Enter your GTIN; add batch, serial, and expiry if your category requires them.
- Set up your resolver — the QR code points to a URL. That URL must return a product page. QR-Verse hosts resolver pages on the Business plan, or you can point to your own domain. Set up redirects so the resolver destination can change without reprinting the code.
- Validate — test the code on an iPhone (iOS Safari), an Android device (Chrome), and if possible a Zebra retail scanner. All three must resolve correctly.
- Submit to your retailer — if you have a specific retailer asking for 2D compliance, notify their category management team once your pilot SKU is live.
Total time from GTIN in hand to live code: under two days. Total time from zero to GTIN: two to four weeks depending on your GS1 member organisation's processing time.
Why the transition matters now, not in 2027
Three reasons not to wait until Q4 2027:
1. Packaging print runs have long lead times. If you print 12-month supplies in Q1 2027, you are reprinting again for Sunrise compliance in Q4. Brands that start packaging artwork changes now absorb one reprint instead of two.
2. Retailer compliance timelines precede the public deadline. Retailers submit vendor compliance notices before the market deadline, not on it. Some major accounts already require 2D-capable artwork in new product submissions. If your artwork is under review for a new listing, add GS1 Digital Link now.
3. The consumer engagement payoff starts immediately. A GS1 Digital Link QR code on a product package drives an average of 2–5% consumer scan engagement when paired with a useful landing page (recipes, sustainability data, warranty registration). That scan data is yours — first-party analytics on which products consumers engage with, where, and on which device. That value starts on day one of the pilot, not in 2027.
QR-Verse for GS1 Digital Link
The QR-Verse Business plan covers most SMB GS1 Digital Link deployments:
- Full GS1 Digital Link URI compliance (GS1 standard spec)
- GTIN check-digit validation — catches data entry errors before they reach packaging
- Application Identifier encoding: GTIN (01), batch (10), serial (21), expiry (17)
- Dynamic codes — update the resolver destination without reprinting
- Custom domain resolver —
id.yourcompany.comfor full brand and data ownership - Bulk generation via API — scale from pilot SKU to full catalog
- Scan analytics per product and batch — see which SKUs consumers engage with
We are not a GS1 member organisation and cannot issue GTINs. For GTIN registration, contact GS1 directly.
Start your GS1 Digital Link pilot
Generate your first GS1 Digital Link QR code
Enter your GTIN and get a compliant, production-ready QR code. No signup required to test.
Create GS1 Digital Link QR →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a GS1 membership to use GS1 Digital Link?
Yes. You need a registered GTIN, which requires a GS1 Company Prefix from your local GS1 member organisation. You cannot create your own GTIN numbers — they must be assigned by GS1. Once you have GTINs registered, QR-Verse handles the URI construction and QR code generation.
Can I keep my 1D barcode and add a GS1 Digital Link QR code alongside it?
Yes, and this is the standard transition approach. During the Sunrise 2027 transition period, most brands print both: the 1D barcode for legacy POS systems and the GS1 Digital Link QR code for 2D-capable scanners and consumer engagement. Once the majority of POS systems have upgraded, the 1D barcode becomes optional and many brands will retire it from packaging.
What is the difference between a GS1 Digital Link QR code and a regular QR code?
A regular QR code carries any URL — usually a marketing page. It cannot be processed by retail POS systems, supply chain WMS, or pharmaceutical serialization systems, all of which expect GS1-formatted data. A GS1 Digital Link QR code carries a URL whose path follows the GS1 URI syntax, making the same code readable by every downstream system that speaks GS1.
What is the GS1 canonical resolver at id.gs1.org?
GS1 operates a public resolver at id.gs1.org that any GS1 Digital Link QR code can point to. It returns basic product registration data from the GS1 registry. Most brands choose a brand-controlled resolver instead — their own domain — because it allows custom landing pages, A/B testing, localization per country, and first-party scan analytics. QR-Verse Business plan includes custom domain resolver support.
Does GS1 Digital Link satisfy EU Digital Product Passport requirements?
GS1 Digital Link is the recommended data carrier format for EU Digital Product Passport compliance under ESPR. Battery passports are mandatory from February 2027. By deploying GS1 Digital Link now for Sunrise 2027 retail readiness, you use the same code for DPP compliance with no packaging rework when your product category's DPP deadline arrives.
What is the minimum print size for a GS1 Digital Link QR code on retail packaging?
Minimum recommended size is 2 × 2 cm (about 0.8 inches square) for reliable scanning by both retail POS scanners and consumer smartphones. For larger packs or codes carrying more data (serial, batch, expiry), 3 × 3 cm or larger is safer. Always export as SVG for print to preserve edge sharpness, and validate scan quality on the actual print substrate before mass production.