By the end of 2027, the retail world will begin replacing UPCs with 2D QR Codes. This global shift—driven by the GS1 Digital Link 2027 Sunrise Date—will change how products are labeled, scanned, and connected across the supply chain.
Walmart requires GS1-128 barcodes on all food and beverage cartons — carrying GTIN, lot number, and date data. Here's what food suppliers need to know about Application Identifiers, placement, print quality, and ASN alignment.
FSMA 204 is the FDA's Food Traceability Rule requiring food suppliers to capture lot-level data at every Critical Tracking Event and produce records within 24 hours. Learn about CTEs, KDEs, and GS1-128 barcode requirements.
The GS1 2027 Sunrise Date is an industry readiness milestone marking when retailers are expected to support scanning of 2D barcodes, specifically QR Codes using the GS1 Digital Link Standard.
Learn about the upcoming GS1 Digital Link mandate and what it means for your business as we approach the 2027 deadline.
This post explains how barcode technology has progressed, why the UPC became so widely adopted, and why QR Codes with GS1 Digital Links are the next generation of barcodes.
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