If you’ve been hearing more about “Project Sunrise” or “Sunrise 2027,” it’s because the industry is in the early stages of one of the biggest shifts in product identification since the barcode was first introduced. What’s changing isn’t just the look of a barcode, it’s what that barcode can do.
What is Project Sunrise?
Project Sunrise is a global initiative led by GS1 focused on transitioning retail from traditional 1D barcodes, like UPCs, to more advanced 2D barcodes such as QR codes using GS1 Digital Link and GS1 DataMatrix. The goal is not to replace everything overnight, but to prepare the industry so that by 2027, point-of-sale systems can scan and process these data-rich barcodes just as easily as they do today’s UPCs.
At first glance, that might sound like a simple upgrade. In reality, it’s a fundamental shift in how products are identified, tracked, and experienced across the entire supply chain.
The Shift from 1D to 2D Barcodes
For decades, the standard barcode has carried only one piece of information: the GTIN. That’s been enough to identify a product at checkout, but it leaves a lot of gaps. There’s no built-in way to capture things like expiration dates, batch numbers, or unique serial numbers. As supply chains have become more complex, and as consumers and regulators demand more transparency, that limitation has become harder to ignore.
This is where 2D barcodes change the equation. Unlike traditional linear barcodes, 2D symbols can hold significantly more data, including lot numbers, expiration dates, and even unique serial numbers for item-level traceability. That opens the door to better recall management, improved inventory accuracy, and stronger product authentication. It also allows a single barcode to serve multiple purposes at once, something that simply wasn’t possible before.
Another major shift is how these barcodes interact with consumers. With formats like GS1 Digital Link, a barcode is no longer just something scanned at checkout; it can also act as a gateway to digital content. The same symbol can be scanned by a retail scanner for pricing, or by a smartphone to access product information, sustainability details, or brand experiences. This dual functionality is a big part of why adoption is accelerating.
Preparing for Sunrise 2027
One of the most common misconceptions is that 2027 is a hard deadline where everything changes overnight. It’s not. Sunrise 2027 is better understood as an industry readiness milestone—a point where retailers are expected to be capable of scanning 2D barcodes at POS, not a mandate to eliminate UPCs entirely. In practice, this means there will be a transition period where both 1D and 2D barcodes appear on packaging at the same time.
That transition is already underway. Many brands are beginning to add 2D barcodes alongside existing UPCs, while retailers are upgrading their scanning infrastructure to support both formats. The companies that move early aren’t just preparing for compliance, they’re unlocking new capabilities that go beyond basic identification.
For brands, this shift touches more than just the barcode itself. It affects label design, data structure, packaging workflows, and even how products are managed across systems. Decisions made now, such as whether to include serialization or how to structure GTIN data, can have long-term implications, especially when aligning with technologies like RFID or supporting traceability initiatives.
The opportunity here is not just to meet a future requirement, but to rethink how product data is used altogether. A single 2D barcode can support operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and consumer engagement at the same time. That’s a significant step forward from the single-purpose barcodes most products rely on today.
How FineLine Supports Your Transition to 2D Barcodes
Project Sunrise is still evolving, but one thing is clear: waiting until the last minute isn’t a strategy. The transition involves coordination across packaging, systems, and partners, and those changes take time to implement correctly. Starting early allows brands to test, learn, and scale without disruption.
At FineLine Technologies, we’re already working with brands and retailers to navigate this shift, from defining data strategies to implementing 2D barcodes and aligning them with RFID and existing workflows. Whether you’re just starting to explore Sunrise or actively piloting solutions, the focus is the same: making sure the transition is not only compliant, but valuable.
For over 50 years, the barcode has enabled how products are identified and tracked across industries. Project Sunrise is the next step, transforming it into a more powerful, data-rich tool for a connected world. Learn more here.