Sunrise 2027 & GS1 Digital Link: What to Prepare
Arrowhead gets your scanners, printers, and labels ready for Sunrise 2027 — assess your fleet, generate GS1 Digital Link codes, and print verified dual-marked labels.
What is Sunrise 2027?
Sunrise 2027 is a GS1 US initiative: by the end of 2027, retail point-of-sale should be able to scan 2D barcodes — QR codes carrying a GS1 Digital Link URI, or GS1 DataMatrix — alongside the UPC that has ruled checkout since 1974. It is retailer-driven rather than a legal mandate, and major CPG brands are already piloting 2D-marked packaging.
The practical consequence for suppliers and warehouses is a transition, not a cliff: packaging is dual-marked (1D + 2D together) for years while scanner fleets and POS software catch up.
What is GS1 Digital Link?
GS1 Digital Link is a standardized way to write GS1 identifiers as a web address. A code like https://id.gs1.org/01/09506000134352 carries the product's GTIN in the URL path — one QR code can drive checkout scanning, consumer product pages, recalls, and traceability, depending on who scans it.
Batch/lot, serial number, and expiry date can ride along in the same URI, which is what makes 2D codes so much more useful than the UPC they accompany.
What it means for your scanners
1D laser scanners cannot read 2D codes — at all. Camera-based 2D imagers can, and most Zebra 2D imagers from the last five to seven years handle QR and DataMatrix today. Zebra also shipped GS1 Digital Link parsing in firmware across 2025, so part of a fleet may need only a firmware update.
The first step is knowing what you have. Our readiness checker gives you a verdict in about two minutes, and Arrowhead can audit exact models and firmware levels.
What it means for printing and labels
Zebra ZPL printers print QR codes and GS1 DataMatrix natively — no new print engine required. The real work is label real estate: dual marking means fitting a 1D symbol and a 2D symbol on the same label without crowding quiet zones or shrinking below scannable sizes.
Arrowhead designs dual-marked layouts, supplies pre-printed labels, and verifies print quality so codes scan at the register, not just on the design proof.
How to prepare (in order)
First, assess the scanner fleet — anything 1D-only that touches retail checkout or receiving needs a replacement path. Second, check POS/software readiness for 2D payloads. Third, redesign labels for dual marking and verify print quality. Fourth, start generating GS1 Digital Link codes for your GTINs — our free generator gets you started in seconds.
Free tools to get started
GS1 Digital Link Generator
Turn a GTIN into a Sunrise 2027-ready QR code — free, with SVG/PNG download.
Readiness Checker
Six questions, two minutes: can your scanners, POS, and labels handle 2D?
Dual-Marking Label Templates
Free ZPL starting points pairing 1D symbols with Digital Link QR codes.
Simple GS1 QR creator on ArrowheadPHX
Just need a GTIN turned into a QR? The quick version lives on our store.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sunrise 2027 a law or regulation?
No. Sunrise 2027 is a retailer-driven GS1 US initiative, not a legal mandate. The goal is that retail point-of-sale systems can scan 2D barcodes by the end of 2027. Major retailers and CPG brands are moving now, which is why suppliers are preparing.
Will my UPC barcodes stop working?
No. Packaging goes through a multi-year dual-marking phase where the familiar 1D UPC and a 2D code are printed together. The UPC keeps scanning everywhere it does today while 2D-capable checkouts phase in.
Can my current scanners read GS1 Digital Link QR codes?
1D laser scanners cannot read QR codes or DataMatrix at all. Most Zebra 2D imagers sold in the last five to seven years can read them, and Zebra shipped GS1 Digital Link parsing in firmware updates across 2025 — so many fleets are a firmware update away, not a full replacement. Our readiness checker walks you through it.
What makes a GS1 Digital Link QR different from a regular QR code?
A GS1 Digital Link QR encodes a structured web address that carries your product's GTIN (and optionally batch, serial, or expiry data) in a standardized syntax. One code can serve checkout scanning, consumer information, and traceability, instead of a plain URL that only opens a webpage.
Do I need new label printers?
Usually not. Zebra ZPL printers print QR codes and GS1 DataMatrix natively — the work is in redesigning label layouts for dual marking and verifying print quality, not replacing print hardware.
What should I do first?
Assess your scanner fleet (two minutes with our readiness checker), then review your label layouts for dual marking. Arrowhead can identify your exact models, update firmware, supply 2D-capable hardware, and pre-print dual-marked labels.
Get ahead of the checkout lane
Fleet audits, firmware checks, 2D imagers, and dual-marked labels — Arrowhead handles the whole transition.