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BARCODING, LABELLING & PACKAGING
WHAT IS THE GS1 DIGITAL LINK? GS1 Digital Link is a simple, standards-based structure for encoding information in QR codes – effectively taking the retail barcode information and embedding it on the end of a URL – allowing that information to become part of the web. Identifiers such as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) – the number encoded in a linear barcode and used to identify a product at the checkout – are located within the Digital Link QR codes and become gateways to a range of information about a product.
WHY IS GS1 TRANSITIONING BARCODES TO THE GS1 DIGITAL LINK? In recent years, many brands have responded to the increasing demand for more data by adding secondary barcodes to their product packaging. A single pack might include a QR code for consumer-facing applications alongside multiple other data carriers for use at POS, internal stock control, or supply chain operations management. And while consumers are now more adept at using 2D codes than ever, having multiple 2D codes on product packaging can still be confusing. It can also cause issues with scanning at POS systems and takes up valuable space on the packaging design. GS1 has now officially set the gears in motion
to help the industry transition to a single, data- rich 2D code, which allows everything from warehouse machinery and POS scanners to specialised apps and smart fridges to obtain information about a product. A single GS1 Digital Link will deliver different
information depending on the device used to scan the code and will provide opportunities to improve supply chain visibility, ensure product safety, and bring a wealth of information to consumers, both at home and in-store. Through the introduction and official sunrise of the GS1 Digital Link, the organisation is updating the GS1 system to work in this new data-focused world. The GS1 Digital Link standard has been developed in collaboration with some of the world’s largest retailers, manufacturers, and transport and logistics firms, to modernise the barcode in such a way that everyone can use it to better connect and share information, enhancing transparency and product authenticity and traceability, while enabling consumer engagement.
ARE YOU PREPARED FOR
THE 2D CODE SUNRISE? On 26 June 1974, retail history was made with the scanning of the first-ever linear barcode. It started as a method to help supermarkets facilitate price look-up at the point of sale (POS) and has now become the common standard for commerce the world over, with global specifications managed by the international standards organisation GS1. Linear barcodes are still scanned more than six billion times daily, but as demand increases for more product information on packaging, more brands are utilising 2D barcode formats to fulfil broader business goals. Now, GS1 is preparing to transition away from 1D barcodes to a new 2D barcode format – the GS1 Digital Link. At the GS1 Global Forum in Brussels in Feb 2023, the standards body announced an official sunrise period for 2D codes starting in 2027. So, what is the new GS1 Digital Link, and what does the phasing out of 1D barcodes mean for the industry? Lee Metters, group business development director, and James Cutforth, global sector manager, Domino Printing Sciences, explore.
10 SEPTEMBER 2023 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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