A transition away from the traditional one-dimensional barcode is accelerating across Europe, driven by regulatory pressure, rising expectations for product transparency and the industry’s need for more granular data. According to Markem-Imaje, uptake of next-generation 2D barcodes is gathering pace as manufacturers prepare for GS1’s Sunrise 2027 deadline.
Markem-Imaje Solutions Business Development Manager Rémy Fontanet said the shift reflects structural changes in how brands communicate with consumers and manage product information. “This year we saw a major UK retailer, Tesco, begin trials of next-generation QR codes powered by GS1 Digital Link to improve the accuracy of date codes, reduce food waste, help prevent the sale of out-of-date products and better inform consumers,” he noted. “The pilot demonstrates exactly why brands and retailers are accelerating adoption.”
Fontanet said transparency has become a baseline expectation. “Consumers increasingly expect instant, unique, verifiable information about the products they buy. They want to understand where an item comes from, how it was made, and what is in it. 2D barcodes can provide this depth of information transparency in a single scan,” he added. Citing Syndigo’s State of Product Content 2024, he pointed to findings that “half of consumers abandoned a potential purchase because they could not find enough information, while 35% returned a product because it did not meet expectations based on its description.”
Regulatory momentum is also reshaping on-pack requirements, particularly as the EU prepares to introduce Digital Product Passports. “Static labels alone cannot meet this requirement, but 2D barcodes can,” Fontanet said. He added that recycling guidance, batch-level data and recall information could all be delivered through a single connected code. “With smart 2D, you can include best-before dates and recall information in the connected code and block it at the Point-of-Sale or automatically lower its price when the product is about to expire, hence, increasing sales volumes and avoiding food waste.”
Health and wellness concerns are the third major driver. “Providing clear and complete information via a QR code allows consumers to make more informed choices and helps credible brands differentiate themselves,” he said. Fontanet referenced Innova Market Insights data showing strong demand for ingredient transparency. “Nearly two-thirds of shoppers reconsider purchases based on the ingredient list, and more than half say honesty is their top priority.”
According to Markem-Imaje, the convergence of these forces—transparency, sustainability and health-focused product data—signals that the migration to 2D codes is moving from exploratory pilots to broader industry adoption ahead of 2027.
