Sunrise 2027: QR codes are coming to product packaging

Many products already carry two codes: the barcode the till scans and a QR code that opens a website. The retail industry wants a single 2D code that does both jobs. In the US, that effort is called Sunrise 2027. Here is what has been agreed, what hasn't, and how small brands can get ready.

What Sunrise 2027 is

GS1, the organisation behind the barcodes on retail products, says industry has set a goal that by the end of 2027, all retail point-of-sale systems should be able to read and process a defined set of 2D barcodes that use GS1 standards, in addition to the linear barcodes they scan today (GS1). GS1 US calls this transition Sunrise 2027 (GS1 US).

Three points are worth being clear about:

• It is an industry goal coordinated through GS1, not a government rule. Your retailers may set their own timelines, so ask them.
• The UPC barcode isn't going away. GS1 US says shoppers may see a 2D barcode and a standard UPC side by side during the transition (GS1 US).
• GS1 US also says you don't need to use every 2D capability by 2027. It suggests starting small and building up.

Which 2D codes count

GS1 says the two most widely recognised 2D barcodes are a QR code that holds a GS1 Digital Link URI and the GS1 DataMatrix. Both can store the product's Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) plus details such as an expiry date or serial number (GS1). GS1 DataMatrix is already widely used in healthcare.

GS1 describes the QR code version as a gateway to consumer information online, such as ingredients, recipes or usage instructions.

What GS1 Digital Link is

A normal QR code holds whatever web address you put in it. A GS1 Digital Link is a web address built to a standard pattern, so it also carries your product's GS1 identifiers (GS1). In the standard's own examples, the GTIN follows "/01/" in the path, as in https://id.gs1.org/01/09520123456788 (GS1 URI syntax).

That one code can then serve two audiences:

• A shopper's phone opens a web page with ingredients, allergens, instructions or recycling information.
• A 2D-ready checkout scanner reads the GTIN from the same code and rings up the product, as it does with the UPC.

GS1 points out that the brand can redirect the link to different content and update it without reprinting the pack.

How small brands can prepare

Step 1. Use GTINs from GS1. The GTIN in your 2D code should match the one in your existing EAN or UPC barcode. GS1 US guidance on QR codes says to add the same GTIN that is in the product's EAN or UPC, so the code can also scan at checkout.

Step 2. Review the QR codes you already print. GS1 US advises brands to update existing QR codes to the GS1 Digital Link standard and include the GTIN.

Step 3. Keep the UPC for now. During the transition, products can carry both. Talk to the retailers you sell through about when they expect 2D codes.

Step 4. Follow GS1's print guidance. GS1 US publishes a retail point-of-sale implementation guideline covering GTINs, GS1 Digital Link and QR or Data Matrix symbols. Check size, contrast and placement with your printer or packaging partner, and test with a barcode verifier before a big print run.

Step 5. Plan what the link shows. GS1 suggests uses such as ingredients, allergens and nutrition, sustainability information, recipes and usage instructions. Pick what your customers ask about most.

Making the code with Pagestro

Pagestro's QR code generator can encode any web address, including a GS1 Digital Link URI you have built from your own GTIN. You can download it as SVG, PNG or PDF, and static codes are free with no account. In the advanced design settings you can set the quiet zone, the blank margin around the code, and the error correction level.

Be clear about what it doesn't do:

• It doesn't issue or check GTINs. Those come from GS1.
• It doesn't test your code against GS1's specifications or measure print quality.
• A Pagestro dynamic QR code points to a Pagestro short link, not to a GS1 Digital Link, so a checkout scanner would find no GTIN in it. For packaging that must scan at checkout, use a static code that holds your GS1 Digital Link.

Logos, gradients and frames suit flyers, menus and posters. On packaging that has to scan at a till, follow GS1's guidance and your printer's advice before adding styling.

For marketing codes where you want scan counts, a dynamic code or a short link is the better fit. Our guide to static and dynamic QR codes explains the trade-off, and QR code ideas for small businesses has more ways to use them.

Frequently asked questions

Is the UPC barcode being replaced in 2027?

Not straight away. The goal is for checkouts to be able to read 2D barcodes by the end of 2027, alongside the linear barcodes they already scan. GS1 US says shoppers may see both on packs during the transition.

Is Sunrise 2027 a legal requirement?

No. It is an industry goal coordinated through GS1. Individual retailers may still set their own requirements for suppliers.

Can any QR code generator make a GS1 Digital Link code?

Many generators can encode the web address. What matters is a valid GTIN from GS1, the correct URI pattern and print quality that meets GS1's guidance.

Will a Pagestro QR code scan at the checkout?

Pagestro can make a static QR code that holds your GS1 Digital Link. Whether it scans at a till depends on the GTIN, the retailer's scanners and the print quality, which Pagestro doesn't verify.