Sunrise 2027 on Closient Blog

The Barcode is Evolving: Here's What It Means for Your Brand

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

The barcode on the back of your product has looked the same since 1974. That black-and-white stripe pattern - the UPC - was designed to speed up grocery checkout lines. It did that job remarkably well. So well, in fact, that it hasn’t fundamentally changed in over fifty years.

That era is ending.

GS1, the global standards organization that manages the barcode system, is leading a transition from traditional 1D barcodes to 2D barcodes - specifically QR codes powered by a standard called GS1 Digital Link. The target date is 2027. Major retailers including Walmart, Kroger and Target are already onboard. And the implications for every brand that puts a product on a shelf are significant.

Tesco, Walmart, and 60+ Retailers Are Already Moving to QR Codes: Is Your Brand Ready?

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

In early 2025, Tesco launched its second trial of QR codes at the checkout. Twelve own-brand fresh produce and meat products across roughly 20% of UK stores now carry 2D barcodes - and on some of those products, the traditional UPC barcode has already been removed entirely.

Not supplemented. Not placed alongside. Removed.

That is not a pilot program in the conventional sense. That is a retailer with over 4,000 stores making an operational decision about how products get scanned and sold. And Tesco is far from alone.

You Don't Need to Be P&G to Get Ready for Sunrise 2027

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Every article about the 2D barcode transition quotes PepsiCo SVPs and Walmart CTOs. Here’s what nobody’s writing: smaller brands have the advantage - and you can start today for free.

Read any industry publication covering Sunrise 2027 and you’ll notice a pattern. The sources are vice presidents at Fortune 100 companies. The case studies involve global supply chains spanning forty countries. The timelines assume enterprise procurement cycles where buying software takes longer than building it.