GS1's 2027 target is for retail checkouts to be able to read the product number (GTIN) from both a linear barcode and a 2D code by the end of 2027. This is not a law but a target the industry has set for itself. EAN-13 is not going away in 2027: the GS1 guideline asks for the two codes to be printed together on packaging until the great majority of checkouts can read the 2D code. For the brand owner, the task is to turn the QR code on the packaging into a standard code that can also be read at the checkout.
What exactly is the 2027 target?
In the United States, GS1 US calls this transition Sunrise 2027; GS1's global guideline calls it Ambition 2027. According to the GS1 2D in Retail POS Guideline 1.1.0 of December 2025, the target is for checkout systems to be able to read the GTIN from linear and 2D codes by the end of 2027. This requires software updates at checkouts and, in some cases, hardware updates.
The need behind the target is simple. EAN-13 carries only the GTIN. A 2D code, in the same space, can also carry a batch number, expiry date or serial number alongside the GTIN. When this data is read at the checkout, the sale of an expired or recalled batch can be stopped at the till. The same code can also open the product page on the consumer's phone.
Is EAN-13 going away?
No, at least not soon. According to the GS1 guideline, the linear barcode should stay alongside the 2D code until about 90 percent of checkout scanning solutions can read a GS1-compliant 2D code and extract the GTIN. The GS1 General Specifications 26.0, ratified in January 2026, also say that during the transition the 2D code will be used in addition to EAN-13, UPC or GS1 DataBar.
When both codes are printed together, the checkout must process a single data set and give a single beep. This makes it mandatory for the two codes to carry the same GTIN and the same values.
Which 2D codes are valid at the checkout?
According to the GS1 General Specifications, there are three options at the retail checkout:
| Code | Content | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| QR code, with GS1 Digital Link | GTIN and additional data in a web address | Consumer information and checkout in the same code |
| Data Matrix, with GS1 Digital Link | The same address, a smaller code | Small packs |
| GS1 DataMatrix | GS1 element string, no web address | Healthcare products and the supply chain |
Phone cameras open a QR code directly; most phones do not open a Data Matrix without an additional app. If communicating with the consumer is also an aim, the leading option is a QR code with GS1 Digital Link. A code to be read at the checkout should use the uncompressed form of the GS1 Digital Link address.
Where and at what size should the code be printed on the pack?
GS1's retail checkout rules are:
- Placement: The 2D code must be no more than 50 mm from the centre of the linear barcode. This distance has been tested for scanning speed at the checkout. The orientation and order of the two codes are left to the brand owner.
- Edge clearance: As with the linear barcode, the code must sit at least 8 mm in from the edge of the packaging.
- Size: Module width (X-dimension) at least 0.396 mm, target 0.495 mm, at most 0.990 mm. The 2D code module was set at 1.5 times that of the linear barcode because of camera optics.
- Quiet zone: 4 modules on each side for a QR code, 1 module for a Data Matrix.
- Print quality: A grade of at least 1.5/12/660, measured according to ISO/IEC 15415.
- Human readable line: If the 2D code is the only barcode on the pack, the 14-digit GTIN must be printed below it. This is not needed for a consumer QR code next to an EAN-13 that has its own human readable line.
Only data that will be processed at the checkout should go into the code read at the checkout: the GTIN and, where needed, the batch number and expiry date. Other information is taken from the web link or the product master data. We explain which data is written with which prefix in detail in Tagvex's article on application identifiers.
Where does Türkiye stand?
GS1 Türkiye announced in 2024 that 20 companies, including manufacturers, retailers and marketplaces, had signed a joint statement to start the transition to the GS1-standard QR code. According to the statement, manufacturers will add the GS1 QR code to their packaging and retailers will update their checkout systems. No official national timeline or adoption rate has been published for Türkiye.
GS1 Türkiye reminds brands that use consumer-facing QR codes that they must also carry a second barcode, such as a GTIN-13, for price scanning at the checkout. For most brands that have a campaign QR code on their packaging today, the first step is to convert that code to the GS1 structure.
A step-by-step plan for the transition
- Review your product numbers. Every product should have a GTIN built with the prefix you obtained from GS1 Türkiye. We explain the application and numbering rules in our GTIN article.
- List your existing QR codes. Which pack has a code leading to which address, and which ones are campaign codes?
- Decide on the address structure. With GS1 Digital Link you can use your own domain; the path of the address must follow the GS1 structure.
- Decide which data goes into the code. Model, batch or serial level is chosen according to the product group and the printing capability on the line.
- Roll it out with packaging revisions. Rather than opening a separate print revision, tie it to planned design changes.
- Have the print verified. Measure size, quiet zone and quality on the first print run; GS1 Türkiye's barcode quality testing service can be used at this step.
Does a 2D code show that a product is genuine?
No. A 2D code carries more data, but a QR code can be printed just as it is on counterfeit packaging. The checkout or the phone reads the copied code as well. Whether the code belongs to genuine packaging is a separate verification question. We cover this distinction in our article on tracking and verification.
What does Spectrace offer in this transition?
You build the GTIN and the GS1 Digital Link address yourself with your company prefix and your domain; Spectrace does not issue these numbers and does not replace GS1 membership. Tagvex numbers products at batch or unit level with copy-resistant codes, fits the code into the existing label layout and records every change of hands. Grafex, with an invisible digital signature embedded in the existing packaging print, lets a phone verify whether the packaging is genuine; it does not add a new code to the packaging.
Sources
- GS1 2D in Retail POS Guideline, Release 1.1.0, 2025
- GS1 General Specifications, Release 26.0, 2026
- GS1 Digital Link Standard: URI Syntax, Release 1.7.0, 2026
- GS1 US, Sunrise 2027
- GS1 Türkiye, 2D barcodes: the future of product labels (Turkish)
- GS1 Türkiye, The barcode system that began 50 years ago is giving way to the QR code (Turkish)
