GS1 / 2D BARCODES / RETAIL / 2027
GS1 Sunrise 2027: Get Your Product Labels Ready for 2D Barcodes
By the end of 2027 retail checkouts are expected to scan 2D barcodes such as GS1 DataMatrix and QR codes with a GS1 Digital Link. What changes for your labels, and how to print them with LabelInn.
THE PROBLEM
Sunrise 2027 is GS1's plan for retail checkouts to be able to scan 2D barcodes by the end of 2027, not only the EAN and UPC bars printed on products today. A 2D code can carry a product's GTIN together with the batch, expiry date and serial number, and can open a web page when a shopper scans it with a phone.
The 1D EAN/UPC barcode does not disappear overnight. What changes is that a 2D code becomes accepted alongside it, and some retailers have set their own, earlier supplier dates. Check what your own retail customers require.
🔲 Need a GS1 Digital Link QR code now? The free GS1 Digital Link generator builds the URL from a GTIN, lot, serial and expiry date and gives you the QR code as PNG or SVG.
01 / GS1
The two 2D carriers GS1 points to
| GS1 DataMatrix | QR code with a GS1 Digital Link | |
|---|---|---|
| What it holds | The GS1 element string: Application Identifiers such as GTIN (01), lot (10), expiry (17), serial (21) | A web address that starts with the GTIN: https://example.com/01/09506000134352/10/LOT7 |
| When a phone scans it | A phone camera shows the raw data, it does not open a page | Opens the link, so one code serves checkout, warehouse and consumer |
| Size | Very compact, common on small items and healthcare | Larger for the same data, but readable by any phone camera |
| LabelInn | GS1 DataMatrix element with an Application Identifier catalog, automatic FNC1 separators and a human-readable preview | Digital Link URL built from your GTIN, lot, serial and date; QR from the free generator; the in-app passport element prints the link as a Data Matrix |
02 / SUNRISE 2027
What to do before 2027
- Ask your retail customers which 2D carrier they want and from when. Some will name a date earlier than 2027.
- Check your GTINs. They come from GS1 in your country. LabelInn does not issue or register them.
- Decide what travels in the code. A static GTIN only, or batch, expiry and serial per item. Per-item data means the label must change on every print, which is where binding to Excel or CSV or a system of record matters.
- Print test labels and scan them on your customers' type of scanner, and on a phone if you use a Digital Link.
03 / GS1 DATAMATRIX
What LabelInn does and does not do
- Does: builds GS1 DataMatrix with validated Application Identifiers and FNC1 separators, binds each Application Identifier to Excel, CSV or API data so every label carries its own lot, expiry and serial, and prints to Zebra, TSC and other thermal printers. It builds GS1 Digital Link URLs from the same bindings.
- Does not: issue GTINs or GS1 company prefixes, and is not a GS1-certified or accredited solution. It also does not replace a barcode verifier if a retailer asks for an ISO print-quality grade.
Designing and printing are free. Binding labels to Excel or CSV is in Starter at $7.99 a month; the API and automation are in Pro at $24.90 a month. See pricing.
Official background: GS1 on 2D barcodes.
QUESTIONS / FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is GS1 Sunrise 2027?
It is GS1's initiative for retail point-of-sale systems to be able to scan 2D barcodes, such as a GS1 DataMatrix or a QR code with a GS1 Digital Link, by the end of 2027, alongside the EAN and UPC barcodes used today.
Is the EAN or UPC barcode going away?
Not on a fixed date. The 2D code is added alongside it. Ask your retail customers whether and when they require 2D on your products.
Should I use GS1 DataMatrix or a QR code?
GS1 DataMatrix is more compact and is common on small items. A QR code with a GS1 Digital Link opens a web page on a phone. Choose with your retail customers and your label space.
Can LabelInn print GS1 DataMatrix labels?
Yes. It builds GS1 DataMatrix from an Application Identifier catalog with automatic FNC1 separators and can bind lot, expiry and serial to Excel, CSV or API data. It does not issue GTINs.
Is LabelInn GS1 certified?
No. LabelInn builds and prints correctly encoded GS1 barcodes but is not a GS1-certified or accredited solution.
KEEP GOING
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NEXT STEP / LABELINN
Print your first 2D label this week
Build one GS1 DataMatrix, scan it, and see what changes on your label. · GS1 DataMatrix with AI catalog · Lot, expiry and serial per label · Free Digital Link generator