Encode a GS1 Digital Link 2D barcode with GTIN data on a shipping carton label ahead of the GS1 Sunrise 2027 retail POS transition
domain: gs1.org · 6 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
Sampled — shipped under file-level sampling, not individually fact-checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Steps
Identify the GTIN, and any batch/lot, expiration, or serial data required for the product category
Construct a GS1 Digital Link compliant URI or QR payload embedding the GTIN and applicable application identifiers
Generate the 2D barcode (QR Code with GS1 Digital Link, or GS1 DataMatrix) using a GS1-conformant barcode generation library
Print the 2D barcode on the carton alongside the existing 1D barcode during the transition period
Validate the generated barcode against a GS1-conformant scanner or validation tool before production printing
Track internal readiness against the Sunrise 2027 milestone, since checkout systems are expected to read 2D codes going forward
Known gotchas
Sunrise 2027 does not eliminate 1D barcodes — UPC/EAN codes continue to be accepted after the transition, so dual printing during the migration period is expected, not optional
A generic QR code is not compliant on its own; it must follow the GS1 Digital Link URI structure with correct application identifiers to be scannable as a GS1 code at POS
Retailer and scanner readiness varies, so a 2D-only label can fail to scan at point-of-sale systems that have not yet upgraded, even though the code itself is correctly formatted
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