GS1 2D Barcodes at the Checkout

We have a lot of content at Packaging News Net on the GS1 Sunrise 2027 project, which involves the migration to 2D barcodes for retail. Most of the content covers the different types of barcodes, how they are constructed, and how to print them onto packaging.

What happens when barcodes are scanned at the point of sale in a retail scenario? There are several possibilities.

Firstly, brands can choose which barcodes they use on their products:

Keep just the existing EAN, UPC or DataBar barcode. There are no plans for GS1 to retire the current barcodes, so brands can continue using them. Of course, this would mean missing out on the advantages of the additional data in the new 2D codes.

Have both the EAN/UPC and DataBar barcode, as well as the new 2D barcode, printed on the package. This is what GS1 is recommending during the Sunrise 2027 transition period.
Utilizing just the GS1-compliant 2D barcode. This option is the project’s goal, but a critical mass of point-of-sale (POS) equipment capable of handling these codes will be needed before it becomes feasible.

So when an item is presented to the POS scanner at checkout, the scanner needs to be able to function with all three of these possibilities, and one of the goals of the Sunrise 2027 is that the speed of scanning will not be affected, regardless of the type of barcodes that are printed on the package.

Point of Sale Scanner Modes

To ensure that the transition to the new barcodes works consistently, GS1 has worked with POS scanner manufacturers and retailers to identify three modes of operation for POS scanners. These modes will evaluate the barcodes on each package and identify and transmit the encoded data to the retailer’s system.

Note that processing these modes occurs in the scanner firmware; the scanner does not require internet access.

To compare the modes, imagine a product with this data:

UPC Code: 123456789012

GTIN-14: 01234567890128

Lot Number: A1234V

Best Before Date: Jan 10, 2027

Three possible barcodes for this product are:

Data encoded:

UPC: 123456789012

GS1 DataMatrix: {FNC1}010123456789012810A1234V{GS}15270110

QR code with GS1 Digital Link: HTTPS://PACKAGINGNEWS.NET/01/01234567890128/10/A1234V?15=270110

Mode 1

This is the simplest mode that transmits the minimum amount of data. Regardless of how many GS1 barcodes might be on a product, once the scanner detects a GTIN in any GS1 system barcode, the GTIN is processed and transmitted to the POS host. The scanner then beeps, indicating to the cashier or customer that it is ready for the next transaction.

For our example product, the transmitted data would be: 123456789012 or 01234567890128, depending on which type of GS1 barcode was first detected.

Any POS scanner that can handle 2D codes can operate in Mode 1, which is the fastest scanning mode.

Mode 2

This Mode is designed to prioritise the 2D barcodes, allowing the retailer to take advantage of the additional data they can encode.

If the product is scanned and a GS1 2D barcode is detected, the GTIN and any other encoded information are transmitted to the host, using the standard GS1 element string syntax.

If a linear GS1 barcode is detected first, the scanner pauses for a pre-set time, allowing the cashier or customer to continue scanning for a 2D code. If a 2D code is subsequently found, the encoded GTIN and other data are transmitted. If no 2D code is detected within the pause time, the data from the linear barcode is transmitted.

The transmitted data from the 2D code (GS1 DataMatrix or QR code with Digital Link) would be: 010123456789012810A1234V^17270110 – ^ represents the Group Seperator character.

Any data not required by the retailer’s system can be disregarded.

Note that the pause time needed for Mode 2 causes the scanning operation to be slower than the simpler Mode 1. Additional testing is currently underway to make Mode 2 as efficient as possible, especially now that most products have only linear barcodes.

Mode 3

Mode 3 can be used by retailers who want to maximize the capability of the dual barcode transition period.

Mode 3 works similarly to Mode 2, in that when a GS1 barcode is detected, time is also allowed to detect any others that might be present.

If more than one code is found on the product, all the data is transmitted to the host system, along with an 8-digit ID code produced by the scanner, which links the data together.

As an example, for our product with a UPC and a Digital Link code, the transmitted data would be like this:

12345678~123456789012
12345678~010123456789012810A1234V^17270110

How Additional Data Helps the Retailer

Access to data that can be encoded into 2D barcodes allows the retailer to gain greater insight into their inventory and operations.

Obvious advantages include ensuring that products presented at checkout have not passed their sell-by or use-by dates and that they are not part of a batch subject to a recall.

As well as at the point of sale, staff can easily scan barcodes on products on the shelves to ensure that the oldest stock is at the front and, in some cases, to carry out price markdowns on stock close to its expiration date, and minimize waste.

Some Other Thoughts

While encoding information such as date codes and lot numbers into GS1 2D barcodes can have some benefits to retailers and consumers, a brand doesn’t have to do this.

Having this kind of information encoded into the barcodes means the codes will need to be printed on the package at the time of packaging, rather than being pre-printed like most EAN/UPC codes. Not every brand or manufacturer will be ready (or want) to do this.

For some brands, using a QR code with GS1 Digital Link that contains only static information, such as the GTIN, might be the preferred solution, because the code can be pre-printed with the package graphics.