Sunrise 2027 is expanding the role of the traditional barcode. GS1 2D barcodes – the new generation of QR codes on packaging – will carry far more than a product ID. They can include dynamic data such as expiry dates, batch numbers, market information, and even unique item identities. This blog breaks down what the upcoming shift means in practice, and why building the right capabilities early is critical to turning it into a competitive advantage.
Why Sunrise 2027?
Sunrise 2027 is the global milestone set by GS1, retailers, and CPG brands. Its aim is to ensure that the new 2D barcodes can operate alongside traditional 1D barcodes.
For decades, the traditional linear barcode has served one purpose: identifying a product through its Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). It was built for a world where you only needed to know what the product was.
A GS1 2D barcode expands that role significantly. A single code becomes a live connection point, carrying not just a product identifier, but batch data, expiry information, regulatory disclosures, and consumer-facing content. A retailer, a logistics partner, and a consumer can scan it to receive different data, serving different purposes.
Ensuring that this data is structured and standardized is what allows it to be consistently captured across devices and systems.
One barcode, multiple uses: GS1 Digital Link
The technology behind this transition is the GS1 Digital Link standard, which web-enables the barcode itself. Instead of cluttering packaging with separate codes for the cashier, the marketing team, and the logistics partner, a single GS1 2D barcode can serve all three simultaneously:
- A retailer scans it at POS for price and inventory
- A logistics partner scans it for batch-level traceability data
- A consumer scans it for origin information, sustainability credentials, or a brand experience
The same code. The same scan. Different data served to different audiences based on who is scanning, where, and when. This is what GS1 US describes as a key outcome of the Sunrise 2027 transition and it is where the real business value becomes clear.
Why existing QR codes are not enough
Many brands already use QR codes on packaging for campaigns, promotions, or product information.
But most of these are standalone marketing codes, disconnected from product identity, traceability systems, and GS1 standards.
Sunrise 2027 requires more than a scannable code. It requires standards-based 2D barcodes built around GTINs and GS1 Digital Link, so the same symbol can serve retail operations, compliance, and consumer engagement at the same time.
The goal is not simply to add another QR code. It is to make one barcode work across the entire business.
3 strategic reasons to start your 2D transition today
1. Future-proofing for regulations: FSMA 204, EUDR, and Digital Product Passports
Regulatory pressure is one of the strongest drivers of 2D barcode adoption. In the US, FSMA 204 requires enhanced traceability for high-risk foods. In the EU, Digital Product Passports (DPP) are becoming mandatory for textiles, batteries, and other categories, requiring brands to provide verified, product-level data at scale.
A GS1 2D barcode cannot solve compliance alone, but it becomes a critical access point: a single, standards-based entry into traceability records, batch data, and disclosure information. The brands best positioned for Sunrise 2027 will be the ones that have already aligned their product data infrastructure with GS1 standards –turning compliance from a burden into a competitive asset.
2. Enhanced traceability, operational efficiency, & precision recalls
Fragmented data makes efficient operations harder than they should be. When products carry structured, GS1-compliant data at the batch or item level, traceability becomes more precise and more actionable.
If a recall occurs, you no longer need to pull an entire product line. With batch-level data linked to a GS1 2D barcode and captured through standards like EPCIS (Electronic Product Code Information Services), you can identify the specific affected units in seconds, reducing costs, protecting market integrity, and responding faster than your competitors.
This is where supply chain leaders should be paying close attention. The transition to 2D barcodes is an opportunity to build the operational visibility infrastructure that makes recalls targeted, traceability continuous, and inventory intelligence actionable.
3. Turning products into a direct consumer channel
Every product on a shelf creates an opportunity for consumer engagement and loyalty. A GS1 2D barcode powered by GS1 Digital Link can connect a consumer not just to product information, but to dynamic, localized content: origin stories, sustainability credentials, usage guidance, loyalty programs, or first-party data capture.
This is where marketing and brand leaders should be engaged in the Sunrise 2027 conversation. Most brands still treat packaging as a compliance surface. The brands that are moving early are treating it as a digital engagement channel, one that is owned, measurable, and persistent long after the product leaves the shelf.
How to prepare: a practical roadmap
It’s worth noting what Sunrise 2027 doesn’t mean: that every possible 2D capability must be fully implemented by that date. GS1 US frames it as a transition: start now, build readiness step by step, create more value over time. The brands that are moving early are already recognizing the strategic shift in what their packaging can do.
GS1 US recommends a phased approach, and that is the right way to think about it. Transitioning your packaging and systems doesn’t happen overnight. To be ready for the 2027 deadline, brands should follow these steps:
- Audit your current packaging and barcode setup
Identify where you still rely only on 1D barcodes and where QR codes already exist but are disconnected from GS1 standards. Existing QR codes that do not follow GS1 Digital Link will need to be updated.
- Align your product data model around the GTIN
Make sure your product identifier strategy is consistent, structured to GS1 standards, and capable of supporting future use cases, not just current packaging needs.
- Evaluate GS1 Digital Link readiness
Assess whether your current codes can evolve into standards-based codes that serve both operational scanning and digital consumer experiences from a single symbol.
- Prioritize your highest-value use cases
Do not start with everything. Start where value is clearest: retail readiness, traceability, compliance access, or consumer engagement. Build from there.
- Start with the platform you can grow with
The winning approach is not the flashiest demo. It is the architecture that can scale across portfolios, markets, and regulatory frameworks without creating new data silos or vendor lock-in. Look for a standards-based solution that handles the complexity of EPCIS repositories, serialization, and data governance at enterprise scale.
From Sunrise 2027 to long-term advantage
Sunrise 2027 should be viewed as the starting point for a longer-term strategy around traceability, compliance, and consumer engagement.
The companies that move early will build a foundation for traceability, compliance, and consumer engagement by using one standards-based approach across the entire business. GS1 2D barcodes, powered by GS1 Digital Link and EPCIS, represent exactly this kind of scalable, interoperable infrastructure: one that grows in value as regulations expand, consumer expectations rise, and supply chains demand more precision.
The barcode is changing. But the bigger opportunity is what that change makes possible.
At Kezzler, we help brands navigate the transition to GS1 2D barcodes, from data architecture and EPCIS implementation to dynamic consumer experiences powered by GS1 Digital Link. If you are thinking about where to start, get in touch.
You might also find this interesting
- Our recent blog post “Understanding EPCIS: Benefits, event types, and serialization”
- A deeper dive into EPCIS with our solution brief “The power of GS1’s EPCIS 2.0 standard”
- Our blog post “The build vs buy debate: Why buying a connected products platform delivers”