.svg)
GS1 Associate Alliance Partner
GS1 Digital Link replaces the traditional 1D barcode with a single 2D code that works at retail POS, in your supply chain, and for direct consumer engagement simultaneously. Every global retailer must support it by end of 2027.
What is GS1 Digital Link
GS1 Digital Link is the global standard that turns a QR code into a universal product identifier. Where a traditional barcode encodes a GTIN and nothing else, a GS1 Digital Link encodes a full URI - a web address that carries the product's GTIN and resolves to different information depending on who is asking.
Scan it at retail checkout - it returns the product price. Scan it in a warehouse - it returns supply chain data. Scan it as a consumer - it opens a branded product experience. Same code. Three completely different functions. No dual labelling. No separate systems.
GS1 is the global standards body that manages product identification for every major retailer and supply chain worldwide. Their mandate that all retailers support GS1 Digital Link at POS by end of 2027 - known as Sunrise 2027 - means the 1D barcode's replacement is not a question of if, only when.
GS1 publishes the Digital Link URI syntax standard, defining how product GTINs and supply chain data are encoded in a QR code URI.
All wines sold in the EU from December 2023 must carry a QR code linking to ingredient and nutritional information. GS1 Digital Link becomes mandatory for a major product category.
Brands deploying now build consumer data, supply chain intelligence, and DPP-ready infrastructure ahead of competitors still on 1D barcodes.
All global retailers must support 2D barcodes at POS. Every product on shelf needs a GS1 Digital Link compliant code. Brands who did not deploy early face a reprint deadline.
Three functions. One code.
The same QR code on your packaging delivers three completely different functions
depending on who scans it and what system they are using.
01 / 03
At the checkout, the retailer's POS scanner reads the GS1 Digital Link and resolves it to the product GTIN - exactly like a traditional barcode. No changes to retail infrastructure required.
Works with existing POS scanner hardware02 / 03
In the supply chain, warehouse management systems use the GS1 Digital Link to access product data, verify product identity, and record movement events against the product's serialised identity.
Integrates with WMS and ERP via GS1 resolver03 / 03
GS1 has mandated that all retailers and supply chains worldwide be ready for 2D barcodes by 2027. Every product on shelf will eventually need a GS1 Digital Link compliant code. Standard QR codes will not be sufficient. The deadline is not moving.
No app required - native phone cameraWho needs to act now
GS1 Sunrise 2027 affects every brand, every category, every market. These are the sectors where the deadline is most urgent.
EU wine e-label regulation is already in force. Every wine sold in the EU from December 2023 must carry a compliant QR code. GS1 Digital Link satisfies both the wine regulation and Sunrise 2027 in a single deployment.
EU regulation already liveConsumer goods brands on global retail shelves face the earliest pressure. Major retailers including Walmart, Carrefour, and Woolworths are already piloting 2D barcode requirements ahead of the 2027 mandate.
Retailer pilots underway nowTrack and trace requirements in pharmaceutical supply chains align directly with GS1 Digital Link. Serialised product identity, batch data, and expiry information in a single code that works from manufacturer to patient.
Regulatory alignment requiredProvenance verification and farm-to-shelf traceability are driving GS1 Digital Link adoption in agriculture. Consumer demand for ingredient transparency is accelerating the timeline beyond the regulatory deadline.
Consumer demand driving adoptionExport markets including the EU, US, and major Asian markets are all moving toward GS1 Digital Link requirements. Brands exporting across multiple markets need a single compliant code that works everywhere.
Multi-market compliance requiredThe EU Digital Product Passport regulation - starting with batteries in 2027 and expanding to textiles and apparel - requires GS1 Digital Link as the product data carrier. Early deployment builds the infrastructure now.
DPP regulation incomingProtectCode is a GS1 Associate Alliance Partner. Every serialised QR code we generate is built to carry a GS1 Digital Link URI - no separate deployment, no additional cost, no reprinting required when your retailer mandates it.
Deploy ProtectCode on your packaging today and you are simultaneously building your direct-to-consumer channel, your supply chain traceability layer, and your Sunrise 2027 compliance infrastructure. One code does all three from the moment of first scan.
Every code we generate meets the GS1 Digital Link URI standard as certified by the GS1 Associate Alliance Partner program.
The ProtectCode serialised QR replaces your existing barcode entirely. One code works at POS, in the supply chain, and for consumers.
Consumer-facing landing page content is cloud-managed. Update product information, campaigns, and regulatory data without touching the code on your packaging.
Each product unit carries its own unique GS1 Digital Link - not a batch code shared across thousands of units. Every scan is a unique, traceable data point.
Yes - that is the intention of Sunrise 2027. A GS1 Digital Link compliant QR code works at retail POS scanners just like a traditional barcode, so retailers and brands can transition without replacing hardware. The 1D barcode becomes redundant once POS systems are updated.
Sunrise 2027 is GS1's mandate that all global retailers have POS systems capable of reading 2D barcodes by end of 2027. It does not ban 1D barcodes immediately, but it means every product needs a compliant 2D code to remain scannable at retail checkout after the deadline.
The brands acting now are not doing so because they must - they are doing so because deploying GS1 Digital Link today means building a consumer data and supply chain intelligence layer that takes months to accumulate. Waiting until 2027 means deploying under deadline pressure with no data history.
GS1 Digital Link uses a QR code as its carrier but it is not just a QR code. The URI encoded in the QR follows the GS1 Digital Link syntax, which means it encodes the product GTIN and resolves to different data depending on who is scanning and what system they are using
A standard dynamic QR code points to a URL that you control - it works for marketing but it does not carry a product GTIN and it will not work at retail POS. A GS1 Digital Link encodes the GTIN in the URI itself, making it readable by retail and supply chain systems in addition to consumer devices.
As a GS1 Associate Alliance Partner, every ProtectCode serialised QR is generated with a GS1 Digital Link URI. You provide your product GTIN during onboarding and it is encoded into every code at the point of generation. No additional configuration required.
Book a 30-minute demo. We will show you ProtectCode generating GS1 Digital Link compliant codes on products in your category.
New to the Connect platform?
Start free with ConnectQR - the same dashboard, same analytics, same landing page builder. Upgrade to ProtectCode when you are ready for serialisation and supply chain visibility.
Connected packaging.
First-party data.
Supply chain intelligence.