If you make products sold in shops, you have probably heard that "barcodes are changing in 2027". Some of what is said about it is accurate; a good deal overstates the obligation on brands. This guide sets out what Sunrise 2027 actually is, what it requires of whom, and what it leaves for you to decide.
The short version
Sunrise 2027 is a goal the retail and consumer goods industry has set itself through GS1: by the end of 2027, retail checkout systems around the world should be able to read the product number from 2D barcodes — such as QR codes and Data Matrix — as well as from the familiar linear barcodes.
It is a goal about checkout capability. It is not a law, it is not a deadline for changing your packaging, and it does not end the EAN or UPC barcode.
Two names, one goal
You will see two names for the same thing:
- Ambition 2027 is the name GS1 uses globally. GS1's own documents say "Ambition 2027 (also called Sunrise 2027)".
- Sunrise 2027 is the name GS1 US uses.
- GS1 India also uses Ambition 2027.
We use "Sunrise 2027" throughout this Learning Centre. Wherever you see either name, it means the same objective. In short, Sunrise 2027 and Ambition 2027 are one programme.
What the goal actually says
GS1 states the objective as retail point-of-sale scanning being "globally capable of reading and processing the GTIN from both existing linear and 2D barcodes by the end of 2027".
Three phrases in that sentence do most of the work:
- "Point-of-sale scanning" — the target is the POS (point-of-sale) system: the scanner at the till and the software behind it. It is retailers and their technology suppliers who have to act.
- "The GTIN" — the minimum is reading the GTIN, the product number. Reading batch, expiry or serial numbers as well is allowed and valuable, but it is not the baseline.
- "Both existing linear and 2D barcodes" — the goal adds 2D to what checkouts can read. It does not take linear barcodes away.
Meeting the goal means software upgrades for many retailers, and new hardware for some. Laser scanners cannot read 2D barcodes at all; only imaging scanners can. GS1 US makes a related point plainly: it is "not necessary to implement all the capabilities of 2D by that date".
What Sunrise 2027 is not
Because the claims around it are so often inflated, it is worth listing what Sunrise 2027 is not.
Not a law or regulation. Sunrise 2027 is an industry objective, and GS1 standards are voluntary unless a specific regulation adopts them. It is not a government requirement, and that includes India: GS1 India presents 2D and Digital Link as a voluntary business choice.
Not a packaging mandate. Brands are not required to print a 2D barcode by 2027. The date is about what tills can read, not what packs must carry.
Not the end of linear barcodes. In GS1's words, linear barcodes such as EAN/UPC and GS1 DataBar "will not go away and will coexist with 2D barcodes for as long as there are uses for them". There is no agreed date for retiring them.
Not the same as sector regulation. Some sectors — pharmaceuticals in India, for example — have their own legal rules about codes on packs. Those rules are separate from Sunrise 2027 and should be read on their own terms.
Which 2D barcodes count
Not every 2D code qualifies. For general retail checkout, GS1 recognises exactly three:
| 2D option | What is inside |
|---|---|
| GS1 DataMatrix | GS1 data in traditional element-string form |
| QR Code with a GS1 Digital Link URI | A web address built from the GTIN to the GS1 Digital Link standard |
| Data Matrix with a GS1 Digital Link URI | The same web address, in a Data Matrix symbol |
Three things are explicitly not in scope for Ambition 2027: the GS1 QR Code that uses the older element-string syntax, GS1 DotCode and GS1 Composite barcodes. A QR code is therefore only a checkout option when it carries a GS1 Digital Link — and for retail, that Digital Link must be in its uncompressed form.
A marketing QR code that just points to brand.example/offer does not count either. It contains no GTIN for the checkout to read. If you want to understand the Digital Link options better, start with what GS1 Digital Link is; for the choice between symbols, see QR code vs GS1 DataMatrix.
If you add a 2D barcode: the dual-marking rule
Sunrise 2027 does not make you add a 2D code. But if you do add one to a general retail item, GS1 rules say how:
- Keep the linear barcode. The 2D barcode is used in addition to the EAN/UPC or GS1 DataBar, not instead of it. This lasts until 90% of POS scanning solutions can use GS1 2D barcodes and at least capture the GTIN.
- Place them together. The 2D barcode should sit within 50 mm of the centre of the linear barcode, so the cashier and scanner find both easily.
- Make them agree. Both barcodes must encode the same GTIN, and any data they share must match.
- One item, one beep. The checkout should register one item and process one set of data, even though it sees two barcodes.
There is one narrow exception: retailers may move their own-label and in-store-labelled goods to a single 2D barcode earlier, if all their in-store systems can handle it. That is a retailer decision for its own products, not a route for brands to drop the linear barcode. For more on why both formats will be around for years, read why 1D and 2D barcodes will coexist, and for the "can I drop the EAN?" question specifically, can a GS1 QR code replace a traditional retail barcode?
How a checkout handles two barcodes
GS1 describes three ways a scanner can behave when a pack carries both:
| Mode | What the scanner does |
|---|---|
| Mode 1 | Sends the first GTIN it reads, from either barcode. This is the minimum for Ambition 2027. |
| Mode 2 | Prefers the 2D barcode and falls back to the linear one. |
| Mode 3 | Reads all compliant barcodes on the pack. |
When the scanner reads a QR code with a GS1 Digital Link, it converts the address into standard GS1 data and hands the GTIN to the till. The till prices the item from the retailer's own system. The checkout does not visit the web address or any resolver, and needs no internet connection to do this.
Why retailers want it
The GTIN alone does not tell a retailer much it does not already know. The value of 2D comes from the extra data it can carry — batch, expiry and, where used, serial numbers — and from a code consumers can scan:
- Expiry checks at the till — stopping out-of-date food or cosmetics from being sold.
- Precise recalls — blocking one affected batch rather than every unit of a product.
- Better stock and markdown management — knowing which dates are on the shelf.
- Consumer information — the same QR code can open product information on a phone.
We cover these uses in how retailers can use GTIN, batch, serial and expiry. Each retailer will move at its own pace; meeting the goal only requires the GTIN.
What it means for your business
Because Sunrise 2027 is a goal rather than a rule, the right response depends on your situation:
| Your situation | Sensible next step |
|---|---|
| A retailer has asked for 2D codes | Agree which of the three formats, what data (GTIN only, or batch and expiry too), and a timeline. Keep the linear barcode. |
| You already print a marketing QR code | Consider rebuilding it as a GS1 Digital Link from your GTIN, so the same space serves consumers and future checkouts. |
| You print batch and expiry on the line already | You have the data; check whether your coders can print it as a 2D code at line speed and acceptable quality. |
| No retailer has asked yet | Plan the change into your next artwork revision rather than a special project. Nothing is being switched off. |
The cheapest moment to add a 2D code is usually when artwork is changing anyway. Our GS1 2D readiness checklist for manufacturers walks through the decisions, and Indian brands should read what Sunrise 2027 means for Indian brands. For a shorter summary of the myths and the retailer rollout, see our Sunrise 2027 overview.
See what a GS1 Digital Link for your product looks like