# Closient Blog > Product transparency, GS1 Digital Link, and the future of barcodes. Published at https://blog.closient.com by Closient. The blog covers the GS1 Sunrise 2027 transition (UPC → 2D barcodes), product traceability and recalls, regulatory compliance (FSMA 204, EU Digital Product Passport, DSCSA), and how GS1 Digital Link resolution works in practice. It is the thought-leadership companion to the Closient product at https://www.closient.com. ## About Closient is a local-first product search engine and GS1 Digital Link resolver. This blog explains the why behind the product: the shift to 2D barcodes, what happens after a QR code is scanned, and the compliance and supply-chain forces driving the change. For the product, API, and resolver documentation, see https://www.closient.com/llms.txt. ## Posts - [Why We Built Closient](https://blog.closient.com/why-we-built-closient/): The barcode industry agreed on a standard. Nobody built the infrastructure. So we did. - [12 Tons of KitKats Disappeared. A QR Code Could Have Found Them.](https://blog.closient.com/kitkat-heist-qr-code-stolen-product-tracking/): 413,793 KitKat bars were stolen in transit and Nestle asked consumers to manually check batch codes. Here's how a GS1 Digital Link resolver could have flagged every stolen bar automatically. - [The Barcode is Evolving: Here's What It Means for Your Brand](https://blog.closient.com/barcode-is-evolving-what-it-means-for-your-brand/): GS1 says the industry is moving from UPC barcodes to 2D barcodes by 2027. Here's what that means for your brand -- and how to get ready. - [Tesco, Walmart, and 60+ Retailers Are Already Moving to QR Codes: Is Your Brand Ready?](https://blog.closient.com/retailers-already-moving-to-qr-codes/): Tesco has already replaced barcodes on some products. Walmart, Kroger, and 60+ retailers are testing 2D checkout lanes. - [What Actually Happens When Someone Scans Your QR Code?](https://blog.closient.com/what-happens-when-someone-scans-your-qr-code/): Everyone's talking about 2D barcodes replacing UPC codes. Nobody's explaining what happens after the scan. - [Your QR Code Is a 30-Year Promise: Can Your Provider Keep It?](https://blog.closient.com/your-qr-code-is-a-30-year-promise/): A QR code on a product could be scanned in 2050. What happens if your QR provider disappears before then? - [The Recall That Found Every Affected Customer](https://blog.closient.com/the-recall-that-found-every-affected-customer/): What if a product recall could reach every affected customer and leave everyone else alone? - [Three Regulations, One QR Code: The Compliance Case for GS1 Digital Link](https://blog.closient.com/three-regulations-one-qr-code/): FSMA 204, EU Digital Product Passport, and DSCSA all require the same thing: a data carrier that resolves to structured product data. - [You Don't Need to Be P&G to Get Ready for Sunrise 2027](https://blog.closient.com/you-dont-need-to-be-pg-for-sunrise-2027/): Sunrise 2027 coverage quotes PepsiCo and Walmart. But smaller brands have the advantage. ## Topics Posts grouped by theme (a post may appear under more than one theme). Each theme aggregates several underlying tags. ### Sunrise 2027 & 2D barcodes - [The Barcode is Evolving: Here's What It Means for Your Brand](https://blog.closient.com/barcode-is-evolving-what-it-means-for-your-brand/): GS1 says the industry is moving from UPC barcodes to 2D barcodes by 2027. Here's what that means for your brand -- and how to get ready. - [Tesco, Walmart, and 60+ Retailers Are Already Moving to QR Codes: Is Your Brand Ready?](https://blog.closient.com/retailers-already-moving-to-qr-codes/): Tesco has already replaced barcodes on some products. Walmart, Kroger, and 60+ retailers are testing 2D checkout lanes. - [You Don't Need to Be P&G to Get Ready for Sunrise 2027](https://blog.closient.com/you-dont-need-to-be-pg-for-sunrise-2027/): Sunrise 2027 coverage quotes PepsiCo and Walmart. But smaller brands have the advantage. ### Compliance & regulations - [The Recall That Found Every Affected Customer](https://blog.closient.com/the-recall-that-found-every-affected-customer/): What if a product recall could reach every affected customer and leave everyone else alone? - [Three Regulations, One QR Code: The Compliance Case for GS1 Digital Link](https://blog.closient.com/three-regulations-one-qr-code/): FSMA 204, EU Digital Product Passport, and DSCSA all require the same thing: a data carrier that resolves to structured product data. ### How resolution works - [What Actually Happens When Someone Scans Your QR Code?](https://blog.closient.com/what-happens-when-someone-scans-your-qr-code/): Everyone's talking about 2D barcodes replacing UPC codes. Nobody's explaining what happens after the scan. ### Supply chain & traceability - [12 Tons of KitKats Disappeared. A QR Code Could Have Found Them.](https://blog.closient.com/kitkat-heist-qr-code-stolen-product-tracking/): 413,793 KitKat bars were stolen in transit and Nestle asked consumers to manually check batch codes. Here's how a GS1 Digital Link resolver could have flagged every stolen bar automatically. ### Product & company - [Why We Built Closient](https://blog.closient.com/why-we-built-closient/): The barcode industry agreed on a standard. Nobody built the infrastructure. So we did. - [Your QR Code Is a 30-Year Promise: Can Your Provider Keep It?](https://blog.closient.com/your-qr-code-is-a-30-year-promise/): A QR code on a product could be scanned in 2050. What happens if your QR provider disappears before then? - [You Don't Need to Be P&G to Get Ready for Sunrise 2027](https://blog.closient.com/you-dont-need-to-be-pg-for-sunrise-2027/): Sunrise 2027 coverage quotes PepsiCo and Walmart. But smaller brands have the advantage. ## More - [Closient main site llms.txt](https://www.closient.com/llms.txt): Product, API, resolver, and GS1 Digital Link documentation index for LLMs. - [Blog RSS feed](https://blog.closient.com/rss/index.xml): Subscribe to new posts.