Are you ready to bid farewell to linear barcodes?
Linear or ‘one-dimensional’ barcodes are the black-and-white striped codes commonly seen on most consumer products today. These codes have been a familiar presence in the global retail sector since the 1970s, but they are now beginning to be replaced by two-dimensional barcodes, or ‘2D codes’.
If you’re a brand aiming to stay ahead of the curve, it’s time to consider how you will handle the global shift to 2D codes.
Global standards organisation GS1 is collaborating with manufacturers and retailers for the adoption of 2D codes at retail point-of-sale (POS) systems. While the move to 2D codes is not mandatory, this transition presents a significant opportunity for brands that should not be overlooked.
In this blog, we’ll offer invaluable tips on smoothly navigating the implementation process and capitalising on the 2D code opportunity.
What are the advantages of a 2D code over a linear barcode?
The key difference between 2D codes and linear or one-dimensional barcodes is that 2D codes can store considerably more data. Additionally, 2D codes are more resistant to damage and wear due to their built-in error correction features. They are also typically smaller and tend to be read more quickly and reliably at the checkout.
Alongside freeing up label space for creative packaging designs and consumer marketing materials, brands using 2D codes can take advantage of the enhanced data capacity to provide more product information, optimise supply chain management, and improve customer engagement.
GS1 has introduced a new standard to help brands prepare for the global transition to 2D codes at the point of sale (POS), known as QR codes powered by GS1, formerly the GS1 Digital Link. This new standard allows a GS1 identifier to be included within a web address URL embedded in 2D codes as structured data.
The value for both brands and consumers comes from the GS1 identifiers within the URL, such as the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), which serve as links to digital content. While standard QR codes direct users to a single static webpage, GS1 identifiers can connect to multiple web addresses depending on the device or application used to scan the code. For example, a mobile phone scanner could link to a marketing promotions page via a product’s batch or serial number.
In this way, QR codes powered by GS1 offer multiple benefits to both brands and consumers through a single code, enabling data-sharing capabilities for everything from shipping and logistics to aftersales support, consumer marketing, and end-of-life management.
In the following sections, we will outline the various data elements available for brands to utilise and explore the benefits of adding variable, unique, or batch-level product identifiers.
Key Elements of a QR Code Powered by GS1
Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)
The GTIN is the primary and most critical attribute of a QR code used at the point of sale. It enables price look-up and produces the characteristic ‘beep’ at the checkout.
Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
What distinguishes a GS1-enabled QR code from a standard linear barcode is the inclusion of a URL, which allows GS1 identifiers, such as the GTIN, to link to online experiences. The URL is fully customisable, though GS1 advises using a brand-controlled domain name rather than one from a third party. Brands can use the URL, much like a traditional QR code, to provide brand-controlled product information for consumers, such as:
- Product descriptions and serving suggestions
- Full ingredients and allergens list
- Packaging composition and end-of-life information
- Manufacturer details and contact information
- Certification and regulatory information, including sustainability credentials
While the GTIN and URL contain static information that remains consistent across different product batches, the content accessed via the URL is dynamic and can be updated throughout the product’s lifecycle.
Batch, Lot, or Expiration Data
Including batch-level product data offers significant advantages for brands, particularly in managing ingredient changes, product issues, and recalls more effectively, while ensuring consumers receive accurate information about the product they’ve purchased.
By embedding batch details within the target URL of a QR code, brands can dynamically update content for each batch, moving away from the traditional reliance on product packaging to convey all necessary information.
For example, if a product issue or recall arises, the relevant information can be quickly updated to include a recall announcement, accessible not only to consumers but also to everyone involved in the product’s supply chain. Brands can also add expiration-related data to support stock rotation and dynamic pricing at the point of sale, encouraging purchases and helping to reduce food waste.
Variable data like batch and lot codes can also enhance brand reporting. For instance, there is an increasing expectation that brands will be required to provide real-time environmental footprint information for their products. This data, calculated at the batch level, offers improved accuracy and can reward brands for increasing resource efficiency in their production processes.
Serial Number
On the most granular level, brands can uniquely identify each product with a serial number embedded within the QR code. Serialised 2D codes are already mandatory in certain sectors, such as life sciences and tobacco, for consumer safety and regulatory compliance.
For brands, serial numbers enable lifetime traceability of products, providing deeper insights into how items move through the supply chain. Serial numbers may also become essential in future digital deposit return schemes, as they ensure that packaging is returned only once, allowing brands to track returns and ensure that only high-quality packaging is reused.
Greater product visibility also helps brands detect instances of product divergence or leakage and run their supply chains more efficiently. Additionally, serial numbers offer vital insights into consumer behaviour, revealing how many products were purchased and scanned or if items were scanned without being bought.
Further downstream, serialised QR codes create opportunities for enhanced consumer interaction by linking individual products to point-of-sale data. Brands can use these codes to provide consumers with personalised or product-specific information, communications, and experiences based on individual interactions.
GS1’s new QR code standard offers significant flexibility, allowing brands to generate and utilise codes based on their specific needs. The minimum requirement for a QR code to be used at the point of sale (POS) is a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), with the option to add more detailed information if desired.
The more granular the product data, the greater the benefits for both brands and consumers. However, including variable data may require additional implementation efforts. Brands should carefully consider their objectives from the outset, ensuring the necessary functionality is integrated from the beginning, rather than attempting to modify systems later.
For those opting to use static QR codes, the process may only involve updating packaging artwork and creating a landing page linked to the printed code. However, the benefits of static codes are more limited.
Brands interested in leveraging the full potential of QR codes by incorporating variable data should develop an implementation plan and collaborate with suppliers and partners to discuss requirements and content creation. GS1 provides guidance and resources, including support for generating QR codes powered by GS1.
It’s also essential for brands to ensure their production lines are equipped with high-speed variable data printing systems and machine vision technology to guarantee scannability and data accuracy.
