GS1 Digital Link and Sunrise 2027: the QR code is coming
GS1 is moving packaging toward 2D codes: QR codes built on the GS1 Digital Link standard. What is Sunrise 2027 and what does it mean for your labels?
The familiar barcode on packaging is getting a successor. Under the name Sunrise 2027, GS1 is driving the transition to 2D codes: QR codes based on the GS1 Digital Link standard. This article explains what that is, what changes, and what producers and suppliers should do about it now.
What is GS1 Digital Link?
GS1 Digital Link is a standard that wraps existing GS1 codes (such as the GTIN) in a web address, which then goes into a QR code on the label. One code becomes two things at once: the checkout reads the item number from it, and a consumer scanning it with a phone lands on a product page.
That single scan can unlock a lot: product information and nutrition facts, safety and usage instructions, warranty registration, sustainability information, or a promotion. The content shown can differ per country, audience, or product lifecycle stage.
What is Sunrise 2027?
Sunrise 2027 is the global GS1 program aiming for retail checkouts to scan 2D codes alongside the classic barcode by the end of 2027. It is not a mandate, and the familiar EAN code will not disappear overnight, but the direction is clear: brands are encouraged to move to QR codes built on GS1 Digital Link.
For anyone producing packaging and labels, that means a change in label design: the QR code must be built correctly (with the proper GS1 structure in the URL), be right on every packaging variant, and preferably be managed centrally.
What does this mean for your labels?
- Your label designs get a 2D code next to or instead of the EAN-13; space and placement on the label change with it.
- The data in the code must come from one source. A QR code with a wrong GTIN or a dead link is worse than no QR code.
- Central template management becomes more important: one change in the code structure must roll out everywhere at once.
Loftware, the platform behind Loftware Cloud, is a certified GS1 partner and supports generating GS1 Digital Link QR codes in the labeling workflow, including validated templates.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to switch before 2027?
No, it is not a legal requirement. But major retailers and brands are moving that way, and those who prepare their labeling process now will migrate on their own terms later.
Will the EAN-13 disappear?
Not immediately. The transition period is long and both codes will coexist for years. Sunrise 2027 is about checkouts being able to scan 2D.
Can my current label printer print QR codes?
Almost every modern label printer prints 2D codes. The change is mainly in label design and data management, not hardware. Check your printer in our printer check.
Prepare without panic
Sunrise 2027 is not a deadline to lose sleep over, but it is a good reason to future-proof your label management. Want to know what the transition means for your labels? Book a demo and we will go through it with your own packaging.