GS1 Sunrise 2027: what 2D barcodes mean for your inventory management

By the end of 2027, GS1 wants tills worldwide to be able to read 2D barcodes: the QR code powered by GS1 and the GS1 DataMatrix. The classic EAN-13 stays, but a 2D code can also hold the lot number, the expiry date and the serial number. If you use an inventory management barcode scanner, this is mainly an integration question. Can your scanner read that extra data, and does your stock system know what to do with it?

This transition is called GS1 Sunrise 2027. In this article you will read what changes, what data the new codes contain and what your scanner and software need to do. You also get a step-by-step plan to prepare your SME.

What exactly is GS1 Sunrise 2027?

GS1 is the organisation behind the EAN barcode on almost every product in the shop. With Sunrise 2027, GS1 wants retailers to be able to scan 2D codes at the till by the end of 2027, alongside the linear barcode. The ambition is to equip at least 90% of supermarkets worldwide.

Three things are worth knowing:

• The EAN-13 is not going away. According to GS1 Belgium & Luxembourg, you can keep using the familiar barcode after 2027 as well.
• During the transition, both codes sit on the packaging. Brand owners add the 2D code next to the linear barcode until every retailer has caught up.
• There is no legal obligation. As a supplier you are not required to switch. In practice, a large retail customer may still ask for it.

QR code, DataMatrix or EAN-13: what is inside?

An EAN-13 only contains the GTIN, the unique item number. Nothing else fits. A 2D code has far more room and, through the GS1 Digital Link standard, always contains the GTIN, optionally with extra fields.

Code	What it contains	Typical use
EAN-13	Only the GTIN	Till, standard item identification
QR code powered by GS1	GTIN + optional lot, expiry date, serial number + a web link	Consumer packaging, product information, till
GS1 DataMatrix	GTIN + optional lot, expiry date, serial number	B2B, logistics, pharma and medical devices

A regular QR code with a link to your website is therefore not the same as a GS1 QR code. The difference lies in the structured data. Every field has a fixed code, called an Application Identifier (AI). For example, (01) stands for the GTIN, (10) for the lot number and (17) for the expiry date.

Why this is an integration question for your inventory management

The supermarket till gets most of the attention. Yet the biggest gain for a trader or manufacturer lies in its own warehouse. Today, a warehouse worker often scans the EAN at goods receipt and types the lot number and expiry date in by hand. That takes time, and mistakes creep in.

When everything sits in one 2D code, a single scan can record the item, the lot and the best-before date at once. That only works when three links fit together:

1. The scanner has to read 2D codes. An older laser barcode scanner for inventory management only reads linear barcodes.
2. The software has to split the scanned string into the right fields. Otherwise the whole code ends up as one long text in the item field.
3. The stock system has to store and use lot numbers and expiry dates per lot, for example to pick the lot that expires first.

Companies that distribute food have one more reason. European Regulation 178/2002 requires every link in the chain to show where a product came from and to whom it was delivered. The more of that data comes in automatically, the faster you know which customers received a lot during a recall. Read more in our article on stock management with batches and serial numbers.

What should an inventory management barcode scanner be able to do?

Not sure whether your current barcode scanner for inventory management is ready for 2D codes? Go through this checklist.

• Read 2D codes. A camera-based scanner or a recent smartphone reads QR codes and DataMatrix codes. A classic laser scanner does not.
• Recognise GS1 fields. The software splits GTIN, lot, expiry date and serial number automatically.
• Store lot and expiry date at goods receipt. Without that record, the extra data has no value.
• Pick by expiry date. The system directs you to the lot that expires first (FEFO: first expired, first out).
• Print your own labels. If you make or repack your own products, you also need to create 2D codes yourself.
• The same product data in every channel. Your webshop, B2B portal and retail customers need to work with the same GTIN and the same item data.

That last link is often forgotten. If you sell through several channels, you want to manage your item data in one place. Otherwise the GTIN in the webshop does not match the one in the warehouse, and even the best scanner will not help.

For many SMEs, a smartphone is the simplest way to read 2D codes without new hardware. Our article on a stock management app on your smartphone explains how that works.

Step-by-step plan: how to prepare

You do not have to change everything at once. These five steps get you there gradually.

1. Map which codes you receive and send. Check which suppliers already put 2D codes on their packaging and which customers ask for them.

2. Check your scanners. Note which inventory management barcode scanner in your warehouse only reads linear barcodes. A smartphone or a camera-based scanner is often enough as a replacement.

3. Test with one product group. Choose a product group with lots or expiry dates and test the full flow: goods receipt, storage, picking and delivery.

4. Update your labels. If you make your own products, apply for GS1 membership if you do not have it yet and have your labels updated. Keep the EAN-13 next to the 2D code for now.

5. Synchronise your channels. Make sure your webshop, portal and stock system use the same item data. An integration between those systems prevents double work.

An example from practice

Take a fictional distributor of dry food products with twelve employees. It supplies specialist shops, the hospitality sector and a regional supermarket chain. Its suppliers increasingly put a GS1 DataMatrix on their boxes, with the lot and expiry date inside.

Today, the warehouse team scans the EAN at goods receipt and writes the lot and date on paper. Afterwards, someone in the office retypes everything. With a barcode scanner that reads the 2D code and inventory management that captures the fields, it takes one action. During picking, the employee is sent straight to the lot that expires first. When a recall comes in, the owner sees within minutes which customers received the lot.

Conclusion

At first sight, GS1 Sunrise 2027 is about the till. For a trader or manufacturer, the real question lies in the warehouse and in the integrations between systems. A 2D code only pays off when your barcode scanner reads it and your inventory management stores and uses the data. If you test one product group now, you are ready when suppliers and retail customers switch over on a large scale.

Frequently asked questions

Will the EAN barcode disappear in 2027?

No. The EAN-13 remains usable after 2027. During the transition, the linear barcode and the 2D code usually sit side by side on the packaging.

Am I required to switch to 2D barcodes?

There is no legal obligation. GS1 Sunrise 2027 is an agreement within the industry. A large retail customer can still make it a condition.

Can my smartphone read 2D codes for inventory management?

Yes, the camera of a recent smartphone reads QR codes and DataMatrix codes. You do need an app that recognises GS1 fields such as lot and expiry date and stores them in your stock system.

What is the difference between a regular QR code and a GS1 QR code?

A regular QR code usually only contains a web link. A GS1 QR code follows the GS1 Digital Link standard and always contains the GTIN, optionally with the lot, expiry date or serial number.