Home · Learn · Sunrise 2027: The Retail Move from 1D UPC to 2D Barcodes
Sunrise 2027: The Retail Move from 1D UPC to 2D Barcodes
By January 2027, GS1 expects retail POS scanners worldwide to accept 2D barcodes — GS1 Digital Link or GS1 DataMatrix — alongside the 50-year-old 1D UPC. Here is what it means for your brand and packaging timeline.
Sunrise 2027 is GS1's industry coordination target: by January 1, 2027, point-of-sale (POS) scanners at major retailers should be able to read 2D barcodes (GS1 Digital Link encoded in QR Code or Data Matrix) in addition to the traditional 1D UPC/EAN. The transition is not a hard regulatory deadline like DSCSA, but an industry-coordinated commitment by GS1 members, retailers, and brand owners to enable the shift.
Why the move matters: 1D UPC encodes only a 12-digit product identifier. A 2D barcode can encode the GTIN plus lot, expiry, serial number, batch, country of origin, and a phone-scannable web URL — all in the same printed area. That unlocks consumer engagement (recipes, recalls, sustainability info), better traceability, fresher-product enforcement, and counterfeit detection — without forcing brands to add a second barcode.
What changes for brands by January 2027
If you sell in major retail (Walmart, Carrefour, Tesco, Aldi, Kroger), expect to add a GS1 Digital Link or GS1 DataMatrix to your packaging alongside the existing UPC. The 1D UPC stays — it does not disappear. The 2D code goes next to it (or replaces it on smaller SKUs where space is tight). Build the GS1 Digital Link tool at /tools/gs1-digital-link-builder to test what your URL will look like.
Who is already doing it
Coca-Cola, P&G, Nestlé, Unilever, and Mondelez are in pilot programs. Walmart announced 2D scanner readiness across most stores in 2024-2025. Carrefour in France ran a major pilot with GS1 Digital Link on store-brand products in 2024. The Sunrise 2027 cutover assumes most major retailers will be 2D-ready by Q4 2026, with full transition through 2027-2028.
Cost and timeline for your brand
The change is mostly packaging artwork — minimal cost if you are already redesigning. Add a Data Matrix or QR Code next to the existing UPC during your next packaging refresh. Most CPG brands refresh artwork every 18-36 months, so 2025-2026 redesigns are the natural window to add the 2D code. Retailers will scan both during the transition; you do not need to remove the UPC.
How GS1 Digital Link beats a plain QR code
A plain QR code with a marketing URL is uncoordinated — no retail scanner knows what to do with it. A GS1 Digital Link URL follows a standardized path structure (id.gs1.org/01/{GTIN}/{AIs}) that any conformant scanner can parse. Retail POS reads the GTIN and processes the sale; consumer phones open the resolved URL and get product info. One barcode, two audiences. Build yours at /tools/gs1-digital-link-builder.
What if you do not transition
Nothing breaks immediately. Your UPC keeps scanning at POS. But you miss: (a) consumer engagement opportunities (phone-scannable product pages), (b) finer-grained lot/expiry tracking that retailers will increasingly require for fresh and pharma categories, (c) eventual phaseout of 1D-only scanning at some retailers post-2030. Brands that defer past 2027-2028 will pay catch-up costs in expedited artwork updates.
FAQ
Is Sunrise 2027 a hard deadline?
No. It is an industry-coordinated target by GS1, retailers, and brand owners. There is no regulatory penalty for missing it. The pressure comes from retailers expecting 2D-ready packaging during their normal artwork cycles.
Do I have to replace my UPC?
No. The 1D UPC stays — you add a 2D barcode next to it. Both will scan during the transition period. Eventually some retailers may drop 1D requirements post-2030, but not at Sunrise 2027 itself.
Which 2D format do I use — QR or DataMatrix?
Either is acceptable under GS1 Digital Link. QR is more recognizable to consumers; DataMatrix is more space-efficient and standard in pharma (DSCSA, EU FMD). Most CPG brands are starting with QR for consumer recognition.
Does this affect Amazon FBA listings?
Indirectly. Amazon does not require Digital Link; your FNSKU labels are unchanged. But if your retail packaging is also sold direct, you may want the 2D code for direct-to-consumer scanning. For pure FBA, no change needed.
How much extra space does the 2D code take?
Typical Data Matrix or QR at retail-readable size: about 15-25mm on each side. Smaller than a postage stamp. Usually fits next to or under the existing UPC barcode without major packaging changes.
When should my brand start?
Now, if you are redesigning packaging in 2025-2026. The Digital Link URL is free to generate (build yours at /tools/gs1-digital-link-builder); the printing cost is incremental. Brands waiting until late 2026 will pay rush fees for artwork.
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