New to this? Start here
A primer on the three types of barcode: the traditional 1D linear code, the 2D data matrix, and the QR code powered by GS1 Digital Link — and why the new one changes things.
GS1 Sunrise 2027
QR codes powered by GS1: what suppliers need to know
You know the barcode is changing. This guide explains what GS1 Sunrise 2027 and Tesco's Project Sunrise actually mean on your production line, and how to tell if you're ready.
The change
What is GS1 Sunrise 2027, and what's actually changing?
The barcode is being upgraded. Led by GS1's global Sunrise 2027 initiative, retailers are moving from the traditional linear barcode to 2D barcodes: QR codes powered by GS1 Digital Link, which can be read at the checkout as well as by shoppers. Tesco is among the first UK retailers trialling them on selected own-brand lines.
Unlike today's barcode, a single GS1 Digital Link QR code can carry much more. It holds the GTIN, plus data like batch number and use-by date, and links the physical pack to online content. Tesco's early trials focus on capturing use-by dates and batch numbers at the till, which helps reduce food waste and prevents expired products being sold.
The wider goal, Sunrise 2027, is the industry ambition for retailers to be able to scan these 2D barcodes at point of sale by the end of 2027. It's currently trials and clear industry direction rather than a blanket mandate, but the direction of travel is set, and suppliers who prepare early will be in a far stronger position.
The case for change
Why does it matter, and what do 2D barcodes actually deliver?
For retailers and shoppers, 2D barcodes unlock far more product information at the checkout and beyond. The benefits driving adoption are clear.
40%
Less food waste
Up to a 40% reduction, as achieved by Woolworths in Australia using GS1-powered 2D barcodes.
Fewer expired sales
Checkouts can read the use-by date held in the code and stop out-of-date products being sold.
Stronger traceability
Confirm product authenticity and surface ingredient and origin detail, building consumer trust.
Better inventory management
Supports first-in-first-out, improves availability and reduces waste further.
There is a commercial case for suppliers too. Being ready protects your listings when a retailer moves, and the same data and verification that satisfy the code also cut rework, reduce the cost of a mislabelling incident and shorten a recall investigation.
These are the reasons the industry is moving. The harder question, and where most suppliers need clarity, is how to produce these codes correctly on a live production line. That's what the rest of this guide covers.
Already in production
GS1 QR codes are already being printed and graded on real UK food production lines.
Tesco trials under way
GS1 Digital Link QR codes on selected own-brand lines today.
Certified by GS1 UK
OAL Connected is certified to create, print, verify and manage GS1 Digital Link QR codes.
Printed and graded inline
Every QR code is printed at line speed and graded by camera, pack by pack, in working UK factories.
The reality on the line
Where do suppliers get caught out?
The most common assumption is that this is an artwork change: new code on the pack, job done. In practice it reaches into your data, your printing, your verification and your line systems, and that's usually where projects stall.
- 1
Getting the code structure right
A GS1 Digital Link QR code can look perfect and still be wrong. If the underlying structure isn't built correctly, it may not scan reliably or work with retailers' systems down the line.
- 2
Hitting the print quality standard
Tesco's guidance for fresh products sets a minimum grade of B. A QR code holds far more data than a linear barcode, so contrast, substrate, print resolution and placement all affect whether it grades and scans.
- 3
Verifying every pack
Printing the code isn't the finish line. You need to confirm the right code, carrying the right data, printed to the right quality, on every pack, with a record to prove it.
- 4
Making the systems talk to each other
Codes depend on printers, cameras, line software and product data working together. The technology is rarely the hard part; keeping accurate data flowing across all of it is.
- 5
Proving it after the fact
When a code fails or an audit comes knocking, you need a defensible record of what was printed, when, and how the quality was checked.
In the projects OAL sees, one of these five is usually the part that was not planned for. The quickest way to see where you stand is a short readiness check.
Two-minute check
How ready are you for GS1 QR codes?
Before you plan a pilot, it helps to know where you stand today. This quick check takes about two minutes and covers the areas that trip suppliers up most. You'll get an instant picture of where you're in good shape and where the gaps are.
Start the readiness checkWhat it covers
- Code structure
- Print quality and grading
- Verification
- Data management
- Production-line readiness
The supplier guide
Get the GS1 QR code supplier guide
This page gives you the overview. The full guide goes deeper: a practical, plain-English walkthrough written for the people who actually have to make this work — technical, packaging, quality and operations teams. It's built to be passed around internally, the document you send to the team before a project kicks off.
Request the guideInside
- What changes on the production line, step by step
- How GS1 Digital Link QR code data is structured
- Where suppliers most often underestimate the effort
- How verification and grading work in practice
- What “good” looks like, and how to run a pilot that answers the right questions
Watch and learn
See how GS1 QR codes work in practice
Sometimes it's easier to watch than to read. In these videos, OAL's Jake Norman sits down with Roshni Shah from GS1 UK to translate the standards into what actually happens on a production line.
The steps to getting QR-ready
A practical walkthrough of the journey from “we've been asked to do this” to printing verified codes on your line.
What your solution needs to do
A closer look at what a GS1 Digital Link QR code actually looks like and what it carries.
There are eight shorter films too, each answering one question in under a minute. Browse the full video library →
Short on time?
Every QR solution comes down to four steps
Data, code, print, check. Each step has to work on a live line, at line speed, on every pack.
Manage
Keep control of your product data, so the right data goes into every code.
Generate
Build the code to the GS1 Digital Link standard: the Tesco URL, then GTIN, batch number and expiry date, each in the correct format.
Print it inline as the date code is applied. Your substrate, printer type and line speed all shape what's possible, and it usually needs white space adding to the artwork.
Verify
Check every pack for the right data and good enough print quality to beep at the till, with a record kept for audit.
A good first move: print some samples early and get them checked. Most suppliers need more than one attempt, and finding that out now is easier than finding it out at rollout.
Send us your samples →Working with OAL
How OAL helps suppliers get QR-ready
OAL helps food manufacturers make this work on real production lines, from a first check of whether your line can handle it, through to verifying live codes and keeping the evidence for audit.
Line assessment
We look at your line, printers and software and tell you honestly what can print and verify QR codes as-is, and what would need to change.
Sample checking
Print a few codes and send them over. We confirm the GS1 Digital Link structure is right and grade the print against the ISO standard. We also go beyond the grade, using camera-based inspection to check how the code is likely to perform at a real till, because a code that passes the grade can still fail the scan.
Getting the line working together
Practical help joining up your data, printing and verification so the right code, with the right data, prints on every pack.
Verification and audit evidence
In-line checks on every pack, with a full digital record you can stand behind in a BRC or retailer audit.
Works with your existing printers
OAL Connected integrates with all the leading coding and marking brands, so you are not tied to one printer vendor and your current kit is the starting point, not the problem.
OAL Connected is certified by GS1 UK to create, print, verify and manage GS1 Digital Link QR codes, so this isn't theory. It's already running in factories.
Send us your samples or book a line assessment →See how OAL's solution worksHow does OAL's solution work?
OAL's Autocoding System combines intelligent software and robust hardware to automate printer setup, packaging verification, label verification and barcode verification across every production line. By eliminating date code and labelling errors before they cause problems, manufacturers improve food traceability, reduce waste and support retailer Code of Practice compliance.
Step-by-step operation:
The operator selects the product or works order on the OAL Line Terminal (touchscreen). With one click, the system automatically configures the entire packaging line.
Proof
Why leading food manufacturers trust OAL
“Without a doubt I would recommend OAL to other manufacturers […] this system is the failsafe.”
“I've been very impressed with the OAL system, it's really been a game-changer for us. What was originally brought in to prevent product recalls has now become an invaluable tool to improve our production efficiency.”
100+
Reference sites
Food and drink manufacturers running OAL systems on live production lines.
24/7
Support
Round-the-clock support and service, because production does not stop at five.
4
Compliance partnerships
OAL works alongside M&S, McDonald's, Tesco and the HSE on quality and compliance standards.
Common questions
GS1 QR codes: frequently asked questions
Where to begin
Getting ready for GS1 QR codes
You don't need it all figured out to make a start. Wherever you are, still scoping it out or already printing test codes, the suppliers who move early find the transition much smoother.
Prefer to talk it through? Call us on +44 1733 394700 or email hello@oalgroup.com. We're happy to point you in the right direction, no pressure.
Talk to us
Talk to us about getting QR-ready
Ask our team anything about QR codes powered by GS1 — or request the supplier guide and we'll send it over.
A1, Southgate Way, Orton Southgate, Peterborough PE2 6YN, United Kingdom