UK supermarket giant Tesco is removing the traditional linear EAN barcode from 13 lines of its own-brand sausages and replacing them entirely with QR codes powered by GS1 Digital Link.
The range had been dual-coded (maintaining the existing EAN while adding the 2D Digital Link) for some time, but it is now QR code-only, making this the first complete transition from barcode to QR on a full product line by any UK grocer.
It is, as milestones go, a fairly unassuming one, just a small part of the product line. But the significance is real, it’s an important step.
Two Years in the Making
Tesco began working with GS1 UK on this transition around two years ago, which was described at the time as the most significant barcode-to-QR code replacement yet. The gradual approach, moving through dual-coding before going QR-only, reflects the operational reality of switching a symbol that has to work perfectly at every point of sale, every time.
Tesco development and change director Peter Draper framed the change neatly: for customers, it is almost invisible at the checkout. For the retail industry, it is something considerably more substantial.
What the QR Code Actually Carries
Existing EAN and UPC barcodes on retail products carry a single piece of information – the product’s Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). This number identifies the type of product being scanned, such as a 12oz can of Pepsi or 400g of Branston Pickle. When scanned at checkout, this number is used to look up the item in the retailer’s database, retrieve the price and decrement the inventory by 1 unit.
QR codes encoded to the GS1 Digital Link standard do much more.
Many people are familiar with QR codes. They usually contain a web link to product information, discount coupons or other information.
A GS1 Digital Link QR code takes things further. It is not just a scannable URL. It encodes the GTIN alongside additional data such as batch or lot number, expiry date, and serial number, all within a single symbol that point-of-sale (POS) systems can read and that consumers can also scan with a smartphone
That combination of data unlocks several things at once. Consumers get access to nutritional information, traceability details, recipes, and promotional content. Retailers gain far more granular data on what is on the shelf and when it expires – the checkout cashier can be warned if scanning an expired item. And in the event of a product recall, the QR code enables fast identification of specific batches rather than a blanket removal of all stock, allowing affected items to be blocked at the till and customers who purchased them to be contacted directly.
For Tesco, the stock control argument is just as compelling as the consumer-facing one. Better data on product age and batch provenance means more accurate ordering and less unnecessary waste, which matters at the scale the company operates.
The Sunrise 2027 Context
None of this is happening in isolation. GS1 is targeting retailers being ready for a QR code rollout by 2027, the industry deadline known as Sunrise 2027 (or Ambition 2027). From that point, retailers are expected to be capable of processing GS1 Digital Link QR codes at the point of sale, alongside or instead of the traditional EAN/UPC linear barcode.
Tesco’s move is the first significant proof point in the UK grocery market that the technology works end-to-end in a live retail environment, not just in a pilot. GS1 UK chief executive Anne Godfrey was direct about the intention: the hope is that others follow.
That creates a tangible pressure point for brand owners, co-packers, and packaging converters. If the major grocers move in this direction, the question of whether to support GS1 Digital Link on-pack stops being theoretical and becomes a production planning issue.
Why Start with an Own-Brand Product?
For a retailer like Tesco, rolling out the single on-pack QR codes onto their own product line makes a lot of sense.
Since the Digital link QR codes will need to be scanned only on Tesco’s own point-of-sale infrastructure, there is no need to worry about compatibility with other POS systems and other companies’ back-end software.
It’s a way to prove the QR code solution in a controlled environment.
Because not all retailers are currently equipped to handle the GS1 2D barcodes and the data they contain, GS1 is recommending dual-coding for brands that provide their products to the general retail market – at least until there is a critical mass of adoption in the retail industry.
First, But More to Come
But GS1 confirmed it is working with other retailers and manufacturers on the same shift, and acknowledged that linear barcodes will continue to play an important role during the transition period.
That transition period is the operative phrase. Sunrise 2027 is now little more than a year away, and the industry has been warned repeatedly that readiness is patchy. Tesco completing this switch at scale across a commercial product range removes one of the remaining doubts: the technology is ready.
Further Reading
If your brand is looking to get started with GS1 2D barcodes, a great resource is the GS1 Implementation Guide.
