Fifty years after its introduction, the bar code is now ready to be replaced by the QR code. From 2027, in fact, the QR code will substitute the traditional bar code, marking a turning point for the consumer goods sector. 

This transformation is necessary to face the growing needs of traceability, security and sustainability and to provide detailed information about the nutritional properties and about the packaging composition of the products.

The bar code, introduced 50 years ago, has revolutionized the identification of the products in a precise and quick way. Its first use is dated back to the 26^th of June 1974 when a pack of chewing gum was scanned in a supermarket in Ohio, in the USA. From that moment onwards, the bar code became an indispensable tool for the global economic system and began to be present on over one billion products and to be scanned billions of times every day.

Nowadays, the consumers and the producers’ needs are far more complex. The information requested are numerous and often dynamical, hence the urge of a link to web pages which can be shared. The QR code, a 2D barcode consisting of black and white cells arranged in a square or rectangular pattern, offers a more advanced solution.

This code is easily readable by most smartphone cameras and can carry the GS1 Digital Link, which directs the consumer to informative web pages.

The switch to 2D bar code, such as QR code, offers numerous advantages: 

• Better information handling: More efficient transmission of product information throughout the supply chain.

• Regulatory compliance: QR code with GS1 Digital Link can meet regulations on packaging disposal and nutritional properties. 

• Consumer’s experience: More details accessible via smartphone, improving transparency and the awareness of purchasing choices.

QR code testing is already underway in 48 countries, representing the 88% of world GDP.

The “Sunrise 2027” initiative, supported by 22 leading companies in the consumer goods sector (including Barilla, Nestlé, Alibaba.com, e Carrefour), aims at a global transition to GS1 standard QR codes by the end of 2027.

Companies will face several challenges in this transition:

• Technology assessment: Adapting internal technologies and processes to maximize the potential of new codes.

• Coordination between producers and distributors: Manufacturers will need to implement QR codes on their products while retailers will need to update point-of-sale scanners to read these new codes. 

The switch to QR code is a challenge but also an opportunity for Italpack that will work with different actors to ensure a smooth transition. This change will improve the traceability, the sustainability and the experience of the consumer, by positioning manufacturers at the forefront of an increasingly digital and connected market.