The barcodes will have a successor

The barcode on product packaging should disappear. This is reported by the American news site “Axios”. The barcodes are then replaced by so-called 2D codes, which also include QR codes. Whether the Swiss market will follow – and if so, when – is still unclear.

According to “Axios”, the non-profit organization “GS1 US” aims to promote and monitor the change from the previous 12-digit barcode to the square characters through its “Sunrise 2027” program. From 2027, only the new codes will be accepted at checkouts worldwide.

The previous barcode has been an integral part of product packaging for nearly 50 years. Why is there change now? As “Axios” reports, the new 2D codes could share more information for consumers and businesses.

Unlike the previous characters, which could only be used to identify items, the new codes are intended to reveal more about the product. But what?

For a piece of clothing, the manufacturer can record the place of manufacture, durability and washing instructions in the code, among other things. In the case of fruits and vegetables, the code can reveal which field it was harvested from.

The technology also promises to improve “product safety”. Stores could use the codes to immediately “respond to product recalls, identify faulty items and remove them from shelves,” the company said.

According to Axios, Puma is one of the first companies to use the new 2D barcodes in its US stores and products. The manufacturer of sports equipment wants to label, among other things, the material from which its sneakers are made.

In Japan, a retail chain is using the new codes to automatically lower the price of food with a short remaining shelf life.

It is unknown what effect the code change will have on the 13- and 8-digit European article number (EAN or EAN barcode). The EAN is compatible with the 12-digit barcode used in the US, which is now being replaced.

(t online)