GS1 Sunrise 2027: What the Move to 2D Barcodes Means

For about fifty years, the checkout has read one kind of barcode: the linear UPC or EAN. That is starting to change. Under an industry goal called Sunrise 2027 (GS1 also calls the global programme Ambition 2027), retail point-of-sale systems should be able to read square 2D barcodes – QR codes and GS1 DataMatrix – by the end of 2027. Here is what that means in practice and how to prepare without overspending.

What is Sunrise 2027?

Sunrise 2027 is a goal set by the retail industry through GS1, the organisation behind UPC and EAN numbers: by 31 December 2027, checkouts should be able to scan GS1-compliant 2D barcodes and pull the product number (GTIN) out of them, just as they do from a UPC today.

• It is not a law. It is an industry readiness target.
• It is a sunrise, not a sunset. UPC/EAN barcodes stay valid. Products are expected to carry both a linear barcode and a 2D code until most retailers can read 2D codes – industry sources mention a readiness level of roughly 90–95%.
• Three 2D codes are approved for retail checkout: GS1 DataMatrix, QR Code with a GS1 Digital Link URL, and DataMatrix with a GS1 Digital Link URL.

Why brands want 2D barcodes

A UPC holds one thing: the product number. A 2D code can hold much more, for example:

• Batch or lot number – useful for recalls.
• Expiry date – useful for removing expired items and for FEFO stock rotation.
• A web link (GS1 Digital Link) – so the same code works at the till and on a shopper's phone for ingredients, instructions or sustainability information.

Real deployments have started. In 2026, Tesco became the first UK chain to put GS1 QR codes on an entire private-label core sausage range, working with existing infrastructure.

Which scanners are affected?

• Laser scanners and linear imagers read 1D barcodes only. They cannot read a QR code or DataMatrix at all, and no firmware update changes that.
• 2D area imagers without GS1 processing can decode a QR code, but only as raw text. Scan a GS1 Digital Link QR code and your POS may receive a web address instead of a product number.
• Sunrise-ready 2D imagers decode the code, extract the GTIN and send it to the POS as if it came from a UPC.

If a store is not ready, GS1 rules still require the human-readable GTIN printed under the code, so staff can type it in – slow, but it works.

A practical readiness checklist

1. List every scanner you own – at the till, in the back office and in the warehouse – with make and model.
2. Check each model with the manufacturer: 1D only, 2D raw text, or GS1 2D ready. Many current imagers only need a configuration change.
3. Test with real codes. GS1 offers 2D test sets; also scan the 2D codes already appearing on the products you sell, and check what arrives in your POS or stock software.
4. Check your software, not only the scanner. Your POS, ERP or spreadsheet must accept what the scanner sends and match it to the right product.
5. Replace only what cannot be fixed – usually laser and linear units at the checkout.
6. Keep your product data clean. Every product should have its GTIN or SKU in your system, so whatever code is scanned resolves to the same item.

Where a phone fits in

Checkout scanners are only part of the picture. Receiving, counting and back-office work also meet 2D codes – and that is where you may not need new hardware at all. A smartphone camera is an area imager: it reads QR codes as easily as linear barcodes.

WiScanner turns your phone into a barcode scanner for a Windows PC or Mac over local WiFi: every barcode or QR code you scan is typed into the field where your cursor is – Excel, your ERP, a browser – or added to a stock count. That makes it a low-cost way to:

• See what your codes contain – scan the 2D codes on your products into a spreadsheet and check whether they hold a plain product number or a full Digital Link URL.
• Count and receive with phones instead of buying extra 2D handhelds for the stockroom.
• Clean prefixes and patterns with Prefix/Suffix and RegEx rules, so only values in the format you expect reach your system.

What small retailers and sellers should do now

• Do not panic-buy. UPC/EAN codes remain on packaging during the transition.
• Plan replacements into your normal hardware cycle and prefer 2D imagers that support GS1 processing.
• Make sure every product has a proper identifier. If you sell on marketplaces, read do you need barcodes to sell online?
• Use the extra data when it arrives. Expiry dates and batch numbers make expiry-date stock control much easier.

Sources: GS1 US Sunrise 2027, GS1 Canada Retail 2D FAQ, NACS (October 2026), IGD. See also phone vs handheld scanner.