By the end of 2027, the goal of this global industry initiative is for retail point-of-sale systems worldwide to be capable of reading 2D barcodes. It marks the transition from traditional UPCs to information-rich GS1® Digital Links, a universal standard that works seamlessly across international borders and supply chains. Traditional 1D barcodes keep working alongside them.
QRbolt is a GS1 Canada Listed Solution Provider. Read our press release →
Before any of this, it is worth knowing what Sunrise 2027 is not. Read what it is and what it is not, the plain explainer with no countdown and no invented deadlines.
The standard is global. What a retailer can read at a lane, and what your regulator has to say about it, is not. Pick the market you actually sell into rather than reading a general answer that fits nobody.
Canada
A concentrated market, which makes readiness a small number of answerable conversations. Covers what a GS1 member organisation actually is, the layers hiding behind a single yes, CFIA traceability, provincial variation and the data residency question asked neutrally.
Read the Canada pageUnited States
A far wider market with no single answer, where readiness moves format by format and the entity setting a barcode expectation is often not the one whose sign is over the door. Covers GS1 US, and how FSMA 204, DSCSA and FDA UDI really relate to a 2D barcode at a checkout.
Read the United States pageEuropean Union
The familiar symbol is EAN-13 and the 2027 target applies the same way, but a separate body of product law sits next to it. Covers language obligations across member states, what ESPR and the Digital Product Passport actually require today, and scan data under GDPR.
Read the European Union pageRecall exposure, retailer shelf-access risk and the cost of getting GS1-ready are all worth sizing before you plan a Sunrise 2027 rollout. Talk to us and we will work through the numbers against your own SKU count, batch frequency and category.
GS1®'s recommended approach for a smooth migration to 2D barcodes
Limited to a single GTIN (Global Trade Item Number). Retailers with existing POS systems can continue scanning these during the transition.
Carries GTIN plus batch/lot numbers, expiration dates, serial numbers, and more. Modern scanners can access enhanced data for supply chain tracking and consumer engagement.
Dual marking allows you to print both barcodes side-by-side on your packaging. This ensures backward compatibility while positioning your brand for the future. QRbolt is your ideal partner for managing this dual-marking phase, providing the tools to generate GS1 Digital Link 2D codes for as long as both remain useful.
QRbolt is a GS1 Canada Listed Solution Provider for GS1 Digital Links. Read our press release →
GS1® Digital Links transform product recalls from broad alerts to targeted, life-saving communications
Recall specific contaminated batches (AI '10') rather than entire product lines. Surgical precision protects your brand and reduces waste.
Our platform routes recalled batches to a "Do Not Consume" page instantly, while safe batches continue to normal product pages.
Consumers receive critical safety information at the moment of scan, no waiting for news reports or confusing recall notices.
Demonstrates commitment to safety and transparency, transforming QR codes from static links into dynamic communication channels.
GS1® Digital Link is a global standard powering traceability and product data across industries worldwide
Directly Affected: CPG products (food, beverages, cosmetics, household items) are the products with barcodes on packaging. By the end of 2027 the industry goal is for retail POS systems to be able to read 2D barcodes alongside traditional UPCs.
QRbolt provides Canadian data sovereignty, product data hosting, and production-ready GS1® Digital Link generation for CPG brands.
Already Compliant: The US Drug Supply Chain Security Act requires a product identifier in a 2D DataMatrix on prescription drug packages. That obligation dates from around 2017. The November 2023 milestone concerned interoperable electronic tracing, which FDA later softened with a stabilisation period. QRbolt helps manage this data and extend barcode functionality for patient information and verification.
2027 Target: US retailers are working toward reading 2D barcodes at checkout by the end of 2027. This enables richer data like batch/lot numbers, expiry dates, and serial numbers at the till.
Start dual marking now to ensure seamless transition and future-ready packaging.
ESPR Compliance: ESPR is a framework, and what it actually requires arrives per product group through delegated acts. The Commission states there is no general obligation for a product to have a Digital Product Passport. Battery passports arrive separately, under the Batteries Regulation, from February 2027.
GS1 Digital Link is a leading candidate for DPP implementation, providing sustainability and circularity data.
FSMA Rule 204: Enhanced traceability for high-risk foods. GS1® standards are a primary method for compliance.
Digital Link provides direct access to traceability data for supply chain partners and consumers.
Traceability & Compliance: Batch/lot tracking for quality control and recall readiness. EU mandates ingredient and nutrition information via QR codes for wine. TTB allows QR codes for supplemental nutritional information.
GS1 Digital Links enable batch-level traceability, ingredient transparency, and responsible consumption messaging while meeting regulatory requirements.
Track & Trace Compliance: EU TPD and US FDA regulations mandate unique identifiers for supply chain tracking. GS1® standards are the foundation for anti-counterfeiting and traceability systems.
GS1 Digital Links provide consumer-facing verification while meeting strict track-and-trace requirements. Content must be purely informational and age-gated.
FDA UDI / EU MDR: Unique Device Identification systems require GS1® identifiers. Digital Link provides direct web access to device information.
Essential for market access in both US and EU markets.
Health Canada Compliance: The federal Cannabis Regulations permit a bar code on a container without specifying a format. The GS1 DataMatrix requirement Canadian licensed producers actually face comes from provincial distributors and an industry-agreed GS1 Canada timeline, not from federal regulation.
Adopting GS1-compliant 2D barcodes enables access to Certificates of Analysis and consumer engagement while meeting regulatory needs.
GS1 Digital Link enables data sovereignty and compliance across global markets. Choose hosting locations that meet your regulatory requirements.
Meet regional compliance requirements including GDPR (EU), CCPA (California), and other data protection regulations worldwide.
Store your supply chain data in regions that meet your compliance needs. GS1 Digital Link works globally while respecting local data requirements.
Built for industries with strict compliance requirements worldwide. Trust factor for regulated businesses across all markets.
Data residency is a fair question to ask any platform, and the answer differs by market. The Canada readiness page sets out how to ask it neutrally.
Future-proof your production line with GS1 Digital Link syntax and product data hosting
QRbolt generates the GS1 Digital Link syntax needed for inline coding systems. Future-proof your production line with barcodes that work seamlessly with modern printing equipment.
QRbolt does not just redirect. It hosts your product data. Use our templates to display allergens, nutrition, and recycling info without hiring a developer.
The three questions that decide whether the rest of this page matters to you.
Sunrise 2027 is a voluntary industry readiness target rather than a regulation or a mandate. GS1 asks that by the end of 2027 retail point-of-sale systems be able to scan and process 2D barcodes, such as a QR code carrying a GS1 Digital Link, in addition to the linear barcodes they already read. The target is aimed at retailers and their point-of-sale solution providers. GS1 states that linear barcodes such as EAN/UPC will coexist with 2D barcodes for as long as there are uses for them, so there is no shutoff date for the symbol on your pack today.
Dual marking means printing the traditional linear barcode and a 2D barcode on the same pack during the transition. The linear symbol keeps scanning at every lane that reads it today, while the 2D symbol carries the extra data a capable lane can use, such as a batch or lot number and an expiry date. It is the transitional approach GS1 describes, and it is what lets a brand move without betting on any single retailer timetable.
A GS1 Digital Link can carry a batch or lot number alongside the GTIN, so a scan identifies a specific production run rather than a whole product line. A platform that resolves those scans can route the affected batches to safety information while every other batch continues to its normal product page. This is a capability rather than a compliance requirement, and it is only as good as the batch data you put behind it.
More of them, answered at length, on what Sunrise 2027 is and what it is not.
QRbolt is listed by GS1 Canada as a solution provider. That is a directory listing. It is not an endorsement, an accreditation, or a certification of this platform, and no GS1 organisation has certified the QRbolt product. QRbolt sells a platform for GS1 Digital Link QR codes, so we have a commercial interest in this transition. We would rather say so here than leave you to find it out.
GS1, GTIN and GS1 Digital Link are trademarks of GS1 AISBL. QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.