A Guide to GS1 Digital Link Compliant QR codes
Discover integrated, end-to-end GS1 Digital Link printing solutions and 2D applications that leverage production line data to minimise waste, ensure compliance, protect your brand, and enhance consumer engagement.
GS1’s new global standard, the Digital Link, aims to replace traditional 1D barcodes with connected 2D barcodes. This transition not only provides more detailed product information but also enables various use cases that benefit brand owners, distributors, retailers, and consumers alike.
The Digital Link connects GS1 application identifiers, such as the GTIN, to the Internet, facilitating digital access to a wealth of business-to-business and business-to-consumer information for each product. This data can include brand details, product ingredients, manufacturing processes, distribution traceability, as well as product authenticity, expiration dates, and e-commerce capabilities.
Advantages of 2D codes
- High Data Capacity: 2D codes can encode a significant amount of data, including numbers, various character types, binary data, and control codes.
- Space-Efficient Printing: They occupy about 10 times less space than traditional 1D barcodes, making them ideal for compact labelling.
- Flexible Scanning: 2D codes can be read quickly from any angle, ensuring fast processing and improved overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) even in challenging conditions.
- Durability: With built-in error correction, 2D codes can be read accurately even if they are partially dirty or damaged, allowing for reliable data recovery.
Best practice use cases: when to use GS1 Digital Link
Inventory and Packaging
- Improve inventory accuracy
- Gain availability and location insight
- Optimise store processes
- Reduce waste, ensure freshness
- Offer late-stage-customization and SKU optimization
- Turn packaging into campaign and engagement channel
- Provide enhanced consumer experience
Traceability and Safety
- Ensure supply chain traceability and visibility
- Allow product authentication and fight counterfeiting
- Build consumer trust and food safety transparency
- Share provenance, nutritional info and ingredient sourcing info
- Prevent sale of expired or recalled product at Point-of-Sales
- Achieve regulatory compliance
Engagement and Circularity
- Engage directly with consumers
- Share brand-authorized information and stories; upsell; offer e-commerce promotions, recipes, etc.
- Promote and enable the circular economy through promoting recycling information
- Share farm-to-fork stories and tips on how to reduce waste
GS1 Digital Link coding solutions from Markem-Imaje
Markem-Imaje offers private and retail brands, as well as machine manufacturers, a comprehensive suite of innovative solutions for smart product identification, packaging intelligence, and connected GS1 Digital Link services. Our goal is to unlock the full potential of intelligence in codes. With our extensive expertise and global presence, combined with an end-to-end software solution suite and services, we support leading brands in designing and implementing effective connected product strategies.
By seamlessly integrating a wide range of proprietary coding technologies with software, services, and certified consumables, we empower our customers with essential information throughout the supply chain—ensuring products and consumers remain safe and connected. This is intelligence, beyond the mark.
Benefits of Markem-Imaje’s GS1 Digital Link coding solutions
Embed, control, and seamlessly manage verified data in GS1 Digital Link codes—from the production to the consumer’s hand.
Print inline and verify GS1-compliant QR codes, with high contrast at high speed and even on 3D surfaces.
Optimise business operations through production efficiencies, late-stage customisation, SKU, and packaging reduction.
A fully integrated traceability and brand protection solution across the supply chain.
Connect brands with their consumers, and drive loyalty.
Increase campaign conversions and sales lift while gaining behavioral insight.
