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Are you ready for the 2D Code sunrise?

30 October 2023

Lee Metters and James Cutforth discuss the new GS1 Digital Link, and what the phasing out of 1D barcodes will mean for the food industry.

On 26th June 1974, retail history was made with the scanning of the first-ever linear barcode. It started out as a solution to help retailers facilitate price look-up at the point of sale (POS) and has now become the common standard for commerce the world over, with global specifications managed by the international standards organisation GS1.
 
Linear barcodes are still scanned more than 6 billion times daily, but as demand increases for more product information on packaging, more brands are now utilising 2D barcode formats to fulfil broader business goals.
 
GS1 is preparing to transition away from 1D barcodes to a new 2D barcode format – the GS1 Digital Link. At the GS1 Global Forum in Brussels in Feb 2023, the standards body announced an official sunrise period for 2D codes starting in 2027.
 
GS1 Digital Link is a simple, standards-based structure for encoding information in QR codes – effectively taking the retail barcode information and embedding it on the end of a URL – allowing that information to become part of the web. Identifiers such as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) – the number encoded in a linear barcode and used to identify a product at the checkout – are located within the Digital Link QR codes and become gateways to a range of information about a product. 
 
Many brands have responded to the increasing demand for more data by adding secondary barcodes to their product packaging. A single pack might include a QR code for consumer-facing applications alongside multiple other data carriers for use at POS, internal stock control, or supply chain operations management. 
 
And, while consumers are now more adept at using 2D codes, having multiple 2D codes on product packaging can still be confusing. It can also cause issues with scanning at POS systems and takes up valuable space on the packaging. 
 
GS1 has now officially set the gears in motion to help the industry transition to a single, data-rich 2D code, which allows everything from warehouse machinery and POS scanners to specialised apps and smart fridges to obtain information about a product. 
 
Improving visibility
A single GS1 Digital Link will deliver different information depending on the device used to scan the code and will provide opportunities to improve supply chain visibility, ensure product safety, and bring a wealth of information to consumers, both at home and in-store.

When linear barcodes were first introduced in the 1970s, few could have anticipated just how important they would become. We are now experiencing the same journey with 2D codes and the GS1 Digital Link. 

So, how much of a change will it be for manufacturing to move from 1D to 2D barcodes? While the GS1 Digital Link standard provides a vision – and now a roadmap – for a future where a single, data-rich 2D code replaces the 1D, linear barcode, there are some challenges that food manufacturers will need to consider when transitioning to the GS1 Digital Link. 
 
Firstly, they need to consider what information to include inside the code – whether this will be dynamic, batch- or item-related data, or higher-level product-focused information. Depending on their applications, brands may need to access and aggregate data from ERP systems and production lines for use in the 2D GS1 Digital Link. 
 
Solutions for printing the QR codes will also need to be considered – including technology for product handling, printing, and code inspection. As with any product code, a GS1 Digital Link-enabled barcode is only effective if it is correctly printed and can be effectively scanned. 
 
Dynamic data contained within a 2D code, such as batch-related information (including batch numbers and ingredient variations, including nutrition and allergen info), product expiry dates, and unique product IDs, will require in-line, on-product coding rather than pre-coded labels. 
 
Coding products in real time on production lines comes with its own challenges. In such instances, ‘bolting’ a coder onto an existing production line may not be optimal because often, production machinery is not designed with coding in mind, and so, product handling or the ‘presentation of the product’ to the coder becomes a crucial consideration in creating high quality codes. Manufacturers that choose to code products in-line without effective product handling will undoubtedly be subject to production line variations that will affect final code quality. 
 
At best, a poor quality 2D code resulting from inadequate product handling will cause a high number of rejections, rework, and defective stock. Poor quality 2D codes can also have a knock-on effect on lines that require the aggregation of serialised products. The repercussions can be even more severe if an unreadable 2D code leaves the factory unnoticed. 
 
Sunrise date
The official sunrise date for the GS1 Digital Link – at which point the legacy linear barcode can be removed for GS1-Digital-Link-enabled packs – is currently set for 2027.
 
As with any new standard, there will be a transition period with the GS1 Digital Link, and we are already seeing ripples of change among brands, retailers, and manufacturers, and many new innovative use cases for GS1 Digital Link codes. Worldwide, many retailers have also begun the process of updating their POS scanners to read 2D barcodes.
  
Of course, there is significant variation in maturity levels between regions and among manufacturers and retailers. Still, the adoption of the GS1 Digital Link is likely to expand quickly as more brands realise the benefits of greater data sharing.
 
Lee Metters is Group Business Development Director at Domino Printing Sciences and James Cutforth is Global Sector Manager at Domino Printing Sciences. 


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