If you’ve seen “GS1 Sunrise 2027” mentioned by a retailer partner or packaging vendor and aren’t sure what it actually requires you to do, you’re not alone. It sounds like a hard deadline, but it’s really a market-readiness target: by the end of 2027, GS1 wants retail point-of-sale systems worldwide able to scan 2D barcodes, not just the linear UPC/EAN codes on shelves today.
This guide walks through what GS1 Sunrise 2027 actually is, how the rollout is structured, what changes on your packaging, and the practical steps to add a compliant GS1 Digital Link 2D barcode without disrupting the barcode scanning you already rely on.
Quick Answer
GS1 Sunrise 2027 is a global retail industry initiative asking point-of-sale systems to be able to scan GS1-compliant 2D barcodes (GS1 DataMatrix or a QR code built on the GS1 Digital Link standard) by the end of 2027, in addition to the traditional 1D UPC/EAN barcode. It isn’t a switch-off date and it isn’t a legal mandate — GS1 itself describes it as a milestone in a longer “crawl, walk, run” transition, and the classic barcode keeps working. The practical move for brands is to start adding a properly structured GS1 Digital Link QR code to packaging now, alongside the existing UPC, so you’re ready whenever your retail partners are.
What Is GS1 Sunrise 2027, Exactly?
“Sunrise 2027” is GS1’s name for the target date by which it wants retail checkout systems globally capable of reading 2D barcodes carrying a GS1 Digital Link — a structured URL that encodes a product’s GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) along with optional extras like batch, expiration, or serial data. Some in the industry shorten “the Sunrise Initiative” to just “SI” in conversation, but GS1’s own materials consistently call it Sunrise 2027, so that’s the term to search for and cite.
The initiative is retailer- and brand-driven rather than a government regulation. GS1 US is explicit that it is not necessary to implement every 2D capability by the 2027 date — the goal is that scanning infrastructure and packaging are far enough along that the transition can continue smoothly afterward. That said, individual retailers are increasingly signaling that 2D-readable packaging will become an expectation for new listings well before any formal deadline, which is why most brands are starting now rather than waiting.
The Sunrise 2027 Rollout: Crawl, Walk, Run
GS1 frames the transition in three stages rather than one flip-the-switch date. In the crawl stage, brands add a 2D barcode to existing packaging and make sure any marketing QR codes already on the pack are rebuilt to the GS1 Digital Link standard, while retailers install 2D-capable optical scanners at point of sale. In the walk stage, brands start optimizing their 2D codes with additional data such as variant or date information, and retailers extend 2D scanning to their own private-label products. In the run stage, brands use the richer data a 2D code can carry to improve consumer engagement, and retailers put that same data to work internally for safety, traceability, and inventory management.
Where a given retailer or supply chain sits on that crawl-walk-run spectrum varies a lot right now — some large retailers already scan 2D codes at every lane, others are mid-upgrade. That uneven pace is exactly why GS1 tells brands to keep the 1D barcode in place and add the 2D code alongside it, rather than trying to guess when every partner will be ready.
How to Add GS1 Digital Link to Your Packaging
Confirm you have valid GTINs for your products. A GS1 Digital Link barcode is built around your product’s GTIN, so you need a legitimate, GS1-issued number. If you’re already selling with a UPC, you likely have this through a GS1 Company Prefix membership, which lets you generate many GTINs but requires an annual renewal fee. If you only need a handful of numbers, GS1 US also sells individual GTINs directly — a one-time fee per GTIN with no annual renewal and no separate company prefix membership required — which is often the more cost-effective route for a small product line.
Build the Digital Link URI. The standard format encodes your GTIN behind application identifier ’01’ — for example, a link resolving to https://id.yourbrand.com/01/09506000134352 — and can optionally carry a batch/lot number (AI 10), expiration date (AI 17), or serial number (AI 21) depending on what you want to expose. Generate the QR code using a GS1-aware barcode generator or your packaging/artwork software’s GS1 module, which validates the GTIN check digit and formats the AIs correctly. Don’t hand-build a generic QR that just links to your homepage; it won’t carry the structured data POS systems and GS1 resolvers expect.
Set up resolution so the code actually leads somewhere useful. You can rely on the shared GS1 resolver (id.gs1.org) or self-host resolution on your own domain, routing scanners to a product page with sourcing, ingredient, recycling, or promotional content depending on who’s scanning. Keep your existing UPC/EAN barcode on the pack during the transition, and place the new 2D code near it following the placement and size guidance in the GS1 General Specifications so retail scanners can pick up either one reliably.
Test before you print at scale. Scan the code with a phone, a retail-style laser/imager scanner if you can access one, and any brand-side traceability tools, to confirm the GTIN resolves correctly and the linked page loads.
What’s Actually Inside a GS1 Digital Link Barcode
A GS1 Digital Link barcode isn’t just a QR code with a URL in it — it’s a URL built to a defined structure so the same code can serve multiple audiences from one print. At checkout, a POS scanner reads the embedded GTIN the same way it reads a UPC today. In the warehouse, a logistics scanner can pull batch/lot or serial data if you’ve included it. And when a shopper scans it with their phone, they land on a webpage you control, showing whatever content you’ve chosen to attach: ingredients, care instructions, sustainability claims, recall status, or a loyalty offer. That’s the core shift from today’s separate-purpose codes (a UPC for the register, maybe a marketing QR code elsewhere on the pack) to one 2D barcode doing both jobs.
GS1’s retail POS guideline currently recognizes three acceptable 2D formats for point of sale: GS1 DataMatrix, QR Code with GS1 Digital Link, and DataMatrix with GS1 Digital Link — for most consumer packaged goods, QR Code with GS1 Digital Link is the practical choice since it’s also the most phone-friendly.
Is GS1 Sunrise 2027 Mandatory?
No — Sunrise 2027 is an industry milestone, not a law. GS1 US describes it as a target for retail scanning readiness, and its own guidance states it isn’t necessary to implement every 2D capability by that date. There’s no GS1 penalty for a brand that hasn’t added a 2D barcode by December 2027. The pressure most brands actually feel comes from individual retail partners, who may start asking for 2D-readable packaging on new SKUs or private-label agreements ahead of any formal date. Treat Sunrise 2027 as the point by which the infrastructure should be broadly ready, not as a compliance deadline enforced by GS1 itself.
Tips / Common Mistakes
Don’t remove your UPC yet. GS1 has said the linear barcode isn’t being abolished, and retailers are transitioning their scanning infrastructure at different paces — dropping the UPC before your retail partners are ready to scan 2D at every lane will get your product rejected at intake or checkout.
Don’t confuse a plain marketing QR code with a GS1 Digital Link barcode. If it doesn’t encode the GTIN using the correct GS1 application identifier structure, it won’t work at point of sale even if it scans fine with a phone.
Don’t build a barcode on an invalid or duplicate GTIN. Whether you got your number through a Company Prefix or an individually licensed GTIN, it needs to be a legitimately issued, unique number — barcodes built on fabricated or reused numbers can fail retailer compliance checks even if the code itself scans.
Don’t guess at code size and placement. Follow the minimum symbol size and quiet-zone guidance in the GS1 General Specifications — an undersized or poorly placed 2D code next to curved packaging edges or shrink wrap is a common reason scans fail in testing.
Do budget real testing time. Print a small run, scan it across a few different devices and, if possible, an actual retail scanner, before committing to a full packaging run.
Sourcing compliant packaging? Search the free Packaura Supplier Directory — filter by material, certification, and location to find vetted suppliers that meet these requirements.
GS1 Sunrise 2027 FAQs
Is the UPC barcode going away in 2027?
No. GS1 has been clear that the traditional 1D UPC/EAN barcode isn’t being retired on any set date. Sunrise 2027 is about adding 2D scanning capability alongside the existing barcode, not replacing it by a deadline.
Is GS1 Sunrise 2027 the same thing as “the SI”?
Some people shorten “the Sunrise Initiative” to “SI” in conversation, and it refers to the same effort. GS1’s own documentation calls it Sunrise 2027, so that’s the name you’ll see in official guidance and the term worth using when searching for details.
What happens if my product doesn’t have a 2D barcode by the end of 2027?
Nothing automatic happens from GS1 itself — there’s no global switch-off or penalty built into the initiative. The real-world risk is retailer-specific: individual trading partners may start requiring 2D-readable packaging for new listings or renewed agreements, so the deadline that matters most is whichever one your actual retail partners set.
Do I need new packaging artwork to add a GS1 Digital Link barcode?
You need room on the pack for the new 2D code near your existing barcode, following GS1’s size and placement guidance, but you don’t need a full redesign. Most brands add the 2D code at their next scheduled print run rather than reprinting existing inventory early.
What’s the difference between GS1 DataMatrix and a GS1 Digital Link QR code?
Both are GS1-approved 2D formats for point of sale. GS1 DataMatrix is common in healthcare and some industrial supply chains. A QR code built on the GS1 Digital Link standard is generally the better fit for consumer packaged goods because the same code a shopper scans with their phone also resolves correctly at checkout.
Where can I check the current official Sunrise 2027 timeline?
GS1 US maintains an updated Sunrise 2027 resource hub with the current crawl-walk-run guidance for brands and retailers — check the official GS1 US Sunrise 2027 page for the latest details rather than relying on any single third-party summary.
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