Sunrise 2027: Chuyển đổi sang mã QR trong bán lẻ

Sunrise 2027: The QR Code Transition in Retail

GS1's Sunrise 2027 initiative marks the biggest change to retail barcodes since UPC was introduced in 1974. By 2027, retail point-of-sale systems worldwide should be capable of scanning 2D barcodes, opening the door for QR codes and Data Matrix to supplement or eventually replace EAN-13 at checkout.

What Is Changing

Today, virtually all products carry a linear EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode scanned at checkout. Sunrise 2027 does not eliminate these barcodes. Instead, it requires that POS systems also accept 2D barcodes encoding GS1 data. This means:

• A product could carry a QR code instead of (or alongside) an EAN-13
• The QR code encodes the GTIN in GS1 Digital Link format
• The POS scanner reads the 2D code and extracts the GTIN for checkout

Timeline

Why 2D at POS?

Linear barcodes at POS can only carry a GTIN, a simple product identifier. 2D barcodes can carry:

• GTIN (for checkout)
• Batch/lot number (for recalls)
• Expiration date (for freshness management)
• Serial number (for authentication)
• URL (for consumer engagement)

This additional data enables use cases impossible with linear barcodes:

• Automatic recall alerts at checkout for affected batches
• Dynamic pricing based on expiration date (markdown near-expiry items)
• Consumer access to sustainability and provenance information

Retailer Readiness

Major retailers preparing for Sunrise 2027:

• Upgrading POS scanners from laser (1D only) to imaging (1D + 2D)
• Updating POS software to parse GS1 Digital Link URLs
• Conducting pilot programs with selected brands
• Testing multi-format scanning (reading both EAN-13 and QR on the same product)

Brand Considerations

Brands considering 2D barcodes should:

1. Start now: Add QR codes to packaging for consumer engagement (non-POS use)
2. Register with GS1: Ensure GTINs are in the GS1 Registry Platform
3. Set up a resolver: Host a GS1 Digital Link resolver for your product URLs
4. Dual-barcode strategy: Print both EAN-13 and QR during the transition period
5. Test with retailers: Verify your 2D barcodes scan correctly at pilot POS systems

Impact on Existing Barcodes

EAN-13 and UPC-A will not disappear quickly. The transition will take years as:

• Billions of products in the supply chain still carry only linear barcodes
• Not all retailers will upgrade simultaneously
• Some product categories may see minimal benefit from 2D
• Consumer behavior and awareness need to evolve

The likely steady state is a 5-10 year coexistence period where products carry both linear and 2D barcodes.