GS1 barcode formats and the 'barcode on the box' explained
Most people glance at the barcode on a box and assume it holds a price. It does not. It holds a number, and the format of the barcode decides how much more than that number it can carry. As retailers move toward 2D barcodes by the end of 2027, the difference between formats stops being a print detail and becomes a shelf-access question. This article explains the main GS1 barcode formats, what each one actually encodes, and why the barcode on the box is about to do far more than ring up a sale.
What does the barcode on the box actually hold?
The barcode on a retail box holds a Global Trade Item Number, or GTIN, not a price. A UPC-A barcode encodes a 12-digit GTIN. An EAN-13 barcode encodes a 13-digit GTIN. The checkout looks up that number in the retailer's own system to find the price and product name.
This is the single most common misunderstanding about retail barcodes. The black and white lines are a machine-readable version of the GTIN, and nothing else. When a cashier scans an item, the till reads the number, then queries a separate database for everything a shopper sees on the receipt. Change the price in that database and the barcode never changes. This is why a 1D barcode is described as static. It points to one identity, forever, and carries no batch, no expiry, and no link to anything online. For decades that was enough. As Rhys Williamson puts it, when you break it right down, everyone can agree the barcode is old tech and it could and should be doing more.
What is the difference between EAN-13, UPC and GS1-128?
EAN-13 and UPC-A are both 1D retail barcodes that carry only a GTIN, 13 digits and 12 digits respectively. GS1-128 is a different 1D format used on cases and pallets, not at the consumer checkout. It uses Application Identifiers to encode extra data such as batch, lot, and expiry alongside the GTIN.
EAN-13 and UPC-A are effectively the same family. EAN-13 is the international version and adds one digit to the front of a UPC-A code. Both are read by every supermarket scanner on earth, and both are limited to product identity. GS1-128 is where logistics data lives. It uses two, three, or four digit Application Identifiers to label each piece of data, so Application Identifier 10 marks a batch or lot number and Application Identifier 17 marks an expiry date in year, month, day order. You will find GS1-128 on the shipping case and the warehouse pallet, rarely on the consumer pack. Splitting consumer identity and logistics data across separate codes is part of why brands end up with several barcodes on one pack. To understand why that matters at the shelf, our explainer on 1D versus 2D barcodes sets out the trade-offs.
What about GS1 DataMatrix and the GS1 Digital Link QR code?
GS1 DataMatrix and the GS1 Digital Link QR code are both 2D barcodes. DataMatrix is a compact square symbol used heavily in healthcare to carry GTIN, batch, expiry, and serial number. The GS1 Digital Link QR code carries the GTIN inside a web address, so one scan can serve checkout, compliance, and consumer content.
DataMatrix uses the same Application Identifier logic as GS1-128, but in a small 2D square that reads in any orientation and survives partial damage through built-in error correction. That makes it the standard for regulated medical products. The GS1 Digital Link QR code works differently. It encodes the GTIN in the path of a web URL, which means a point-of-sale scanner reads the number straight from the address and rings up the sale with no internet connection at all. The same code, when scanned by a phone, can open a product page, ingredient data, or a market-specific compliance disclosure. For the full standard, read our overview of the GS1 Digital Link standard and the pillar guide on what GS1 Digital Link is.
Why is the format about to matter more?
The format matters more because retailers are moving to accept 2D barcodes at the checkout. Under the GS1 Sunrise 2027 initiative, retailers aim to be capable of scanning 2D barcodes at point of sale by 31 December 2027. This is industry-led, not a government mandate. The pressure comes from retailers, not regulators.
The shift turns barcode format from a back-office decision into a commercial one. A single GS1 Digital Link QR code can carry the GTIN for checkout and route a shopper to the right content for their market. That is the exact problem Small Things Wine ran into when a Swedish customer rejected a label, because one QR code led to a single global marketing page that did not meet local rules.
Rhys is blunt about the design upside too. Most brands currently carry three or four codes on a pack, a UPC, a marketing QR, an authentication code, and a lot or batch code, and each one takes space a creative team would rather give back to the product. Collapsing those into one 2D code is one of the biggest practical wins of the transition. You can see how the standard maps to readiness on our GS1 Sunrise 2027 page.
If you are preparing for the GS1 Sunrise 2027 deadline, the first step is generating a GS1 Digital Link QR code for each GTIN and pointing it at your content. You can start generating your GS1 2D barcodes today.
FAQ
Does a barcode store the product price?
No. A retail barcode stores a Global Trade Item Number, or GTIN, not a price. The checkout system reads that number and looks up the price, name, and tax in the retailer's own database. Changing the price never changes the barcode, because the barcode only carries identity.
How many digits are in an EAN-13 versus a UPC barcode?
An EAN-13 barcode carries a 13-digit GTIN and is used internationally. A UPC-A barcode carries a 12-digit GTIN and is used mainly in North America. EAN-13 is the wider format and adds one leading digit to the equivalent UPC-A number. Both encode product identity only.
What is GS1-128 used for?
GS1-128 is a 1D barcode used on shipping cases and pallets, not at the consumer checkout. It uses Application Identifiers to carry the GTIN plus logistics data such as batch or lot number (AI 10) and expiry date (AI 17). It is built for supply chain handling rather than till scanning.
Is a GS1 Digital Link QR code different from a normal QR code?
Yes. A GS1 Digital Link QR code encodes the GTIN inside a structured web address, so a checkout scanner can read the product number from the URL and complete a sale offline. A normal QR code just points to a link. The GS1 version works at both the till and on a phone.
Do I need a 2D barcode before the end of 2027?
Retailers aim to be able to scan 2D barcodes at point of sale by 31 December 2027 under GS1 Sunrise 2027. During the transition, packs commonly carry both a 1D and a 2D code so they scan everywhere. Adding a GS1 Digital Link QR code early avoids a rushed change later.
Can one barcode replace the several codes on my packaging?
In most cases, yes. A GS1 Digital Link QR code can carry the GTIN for checkout and route to product, compliance, and consumer content from the same square. That can replace a separate marketing QR, authentication code, and batch code, freeing space on the pack for design.
Does scanning a GS1 QR code at checkout need an internet connection?
No. The GTIN sits in the path of the GS1 Digital Link URL, so a point-of-sale scanner extracts the number and rings up the sale without going online. The internet is only needed when a shopper scans the same code with a phone to reach web content.
