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Consumer scans a 2D barcode on a product with a smartphone.

One scan, all details: 2D codes provide transparency right at the shelf.
Image: Marti Rossello Garrido

The Barcode Grows Up: How 2D Codes Make Packaging Smarter

Reading Time: 3 Minutes

The introduction of 2D barcodes is gaining momentum – driven not only by new EU requirements but also by the first real‑world trials in retail. Tesco is already demonstrating how the transition can work. For the packaging industry, this marks the beginning of a new phase: packaging becomes a digital information hub.

The UK retailer Tesco has been testing 2D barcodes (GS1 Digital Link) in stores since 2024. The goal: to make better use of shelf‑life data, reduce food waste, automatically block expired products at the POS, and provide customers with more reliable information via scan. The tests are running in selected categories and already show how well 2D codes perform in key retail processes. For the packaging industry, it’s a clear signal: product identification is becoming a data‑driven interface – directly on the pack, in real time.

What Tesco is currently doing is being watched closely by many brands. The shift from the classic linear barcode, which simply doesn’t tell enough in an increasingly complex world, to dynamic 2D codes is gaining traction – driven by rising transparency demands, new EU regulations, and the GS1 Sunrise 2027 initiative. For packaging professionals, this means: the code on the pack becomes an access point for data and services, linking physical packaging with digital intelligence.

 

How can greater transparency be achieved?

Today’s consumers want to know what they are buying: Where does the product come from? How was it produced? What’s inside – and how sustainable is it? There is hardly enough space on pack for all this.

A 2D barcode offers clarity: one scan provides all relevant information – from ingredients and origin to certifications or recipe ideas. The content can also be updated at any time. GS1 Digital Link provides the ideal framework for this.

Regulation & sustainability – why will dynamic labeling outperform static in the future?

 

EU regulations such as the Digital Product Passport (DPP) increase the amount of information required on origin, composition, and sustainability. Static labels quickly reach their limits. 2D codes solve this by:

• enabling batch‑ to item‑level data,
• adapting information flexibly to markets and languages, and
• allowing updates without redesigning the packaging.

Digital shelf‑life data also help reduce waste – for example, through automated markdowns or POS alerts when items are close to expiry.

 

Health & wellness: How do 2D codes deliver reliable information exactly when it’s needed?

For many people, ingredients, allergens, and clean‑label transparency are crucial. 2D codes offer a clear advantage: They link directly to accurate nutritional information, allergen notices, recipe updates, or recall information – always up to date. 2D barcodes provide the necessary data depth at exactly the right moment: directly at the shelf.

What does this mean for packaging practice?

The Tesco example shows that 2D codes deliver advantages across the entire value chain:

• Design & artwork: Placement, contrast, and a clear “Scan now” call‑to‑action should be planned early.
• Data management: Product and batch data must be structured, ideally following GS1 Digital Link.
• Production & quality: Recalls, shelf‑life monitoring, and traceability become more precise and efficient.
• Retail: Digital shelf‑life data support markdowns, automated price updates, and POS block mechanisms.

About the initiative

The GS1 “Sunrise 2027” initiative prepares the global transition from the traditional linear barcode to 2D barcodes such as GS1 Digital Link.
As 1D codes can no longer meet rising information requirements, 2D codes will provide access to significantly more product data – for example, origin, ingredients, sustainability, shelf life, or recalls.
From 2027 onwards, they are expected to be used more widely, which means brands and packaging manufacturers should prepare their packaging as well as their underlying data and process structures accordingly.

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