GS1 QR Codes and Sunrise 2027: A Practical Guide for Product Brands

The barcode on your product packaging is about to get an upgrade. Under GS1's Sunrise 2027 program, retail checkout systems are being upgraded to scan 2D codes — QR codes carrying a GS1 Digital Link — alongside the familiar EAN/UPC stripes (source: GS1, retrieved July 2026). One code on the pack can then do two jobs: identify the product at the till, and open a web page for the consumer.

How a GS1 Digital Link works

Instead of a bare number, the QR code encodes a standard https URL built from GS1Application Identifiers:

https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352/10/LOT42?17=270630

• 01 — the GTIN (the number under your current barcode)
• 10 — batch/lot number (recalls, traceability)
• 21 — serial number (unit-level identification)
• 17 — expiry date as YYMMDD

Retail scanners extract the GTIN from the path; a shopper's phone just opens the link — product info, instructions, recycling guidance, promotions.

What to do before 2027

1. Keep your EAN/UPC barcode. It isn't going away; the transition period runs both side by side.
2. Add a GS1 Digital Link QR code to new packaging runs. Our free GS1 Digital Link generator validates the GTIN check digit and builds the URI for you.
3. Export vector files for print. Packaging printers want vector — the tool exports SVG and EPS as well as PNG, free.
4. Test at final size. Follow the same print rules as any QR code: quiet zone, contrast, and a proof scan (why printed codes fail).

Static by design — safe for a million-unit run

A GS1 Digital Link code from HonestQR is a static QR code: the URI is encoded directly in the pixels, generated in your browser, and there is no server of ours in the loop that could ever expire it. When you're committing to packaging film for a year of production, that property matters more than anywhere else.

FAQ

What is Sunrise 2027?

Sunrise 2027 is GS1’s industry milestone: by the end of 2027, retail point-of-sale systems worldwide should be able to scan 2D codes (QR codes with GS1 Digital Link) in addition to traditional EAN/UPC barcodes. See gs1.org for the official program.

Do I have to replace my barcode with a QR code by 2027?

No — EAN/UPC barcodes are not being switched off. Sunrise 2027 means retailers become able to scan 2D codes. Many brands are printing both during the transition: the linear barcode plus a GS1 Digital Link QR code.

What does a GS1 Digital Link QR code contain?

A standard https URL that encodes your GTIN (and optionally batch/lot, serial number and expiry date as GS1 Application Identifiers), e.g. https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352. Retail scanners read the GTIN; consumer phones open the web link.

Is HonestQR’s GS1 tool really free?

Yes. The generator validates your GTIN check digit, builds the standard URI and exports print-ready PNG, SVG and EPS — all in your browser, no signup, and the code is static so it can never expire.