Sunrise 2027 is coming. Are your customers ready?
Understanding the GS1 Sunrise 2027 initiative.
By 2027, many retailers and supply chain partners will begin accepting and prioritizing 2D barcodes at point-of-sale and across logistics systems.
These next-generation barcodes allow companies to encode significantly more data directly into product labels, enabling new capabilities across manufacturing, retail, healthcare, and distribution.
For dealers, Sunrise 2027 represents both a technology shift and a significant opportunity to help customers modernize their labeling infrastructure.
Why 2D barcodes are transforming supply chains.
Unlike traditional barcodes that store limited information, 2D barcodes enable businesses to connect physical products to rich digital data.
Track products throughout the supply chain with improved visibility and compliance.
Enable consumers and partners to scan products for ingredients, usage details, or digital content.
Identify affected products quickly during recalls with better batch-level tracking.
Support digital product passports, recycling information, and regulatory disclosures.
Legacy labeling environments weren’t built for Sunrise 2027.
Common challenges
• Printer fleets that are 10+ years old
• Label data hard-coded into legacy applications
• Changes that require costly IT involvement
• Label formats tied to outdated printer languages
Simply replacing hardware doesn’t solve the underlying problem.
The real challenge lies in how label data is generated and printed across systems.
Sunrise 2027 creates a new opportunity for dealers
With Toshiba, you can:
✔ Solve Sunrise 2027 challenges without costly application rewrites
✔ Remove IT as a barrier to modernization
✔ Shorten sales cycles with easier transitions
✔ Win competitive takeaways from aging printer fleets
Help customers protect their existing workflows while preparing for tomorrow’s standards.
Industries leading the shift to 2D barcodes
Talk to a label and receipt printers specialist
Frequently Asked Questions
GS1 Sunrise 2027 is a global initiative to transition supply chains from traditional 1D barcodes to 2D barcodes, such as QR codes and DataMatrix. By 2027, many retailers and supply chain partners will be able to scan 2D barcodes at point-of-sale and across logistics environments. These advanced barcodes can store significantly more information, enabling improved traceability, product transparency, and digital product experiences.
Traditional 1D barcodes use a series of vertical lines to store a limited amount of numeric data.
2D barcodes, such as QR codes and DataMatrix, store data both horizontally and vertically, allowing them to contain significantly more information.
This additional capacity enables businesses to encode details like batch numbers, product data, URLs, and traceability information directly within the barcode.
2D barcodes support new capabilities across supply chains, retail, and manufacturing. These include:
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End-to-end product traceability
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Access to digital product information
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Improved recall management
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Product authentication and anti-counterfeiting
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Sustainability and regulatory transparency
As supply chains become more connected, 2D barcodes help bridge the gap between physical products and digital information.
Many existing scanners that read traditional 1D barcodes cannot read 2D barcode formats. Organizations transitioning to Sunrise 2027 may need to evaluate their scanning infrastructure and upgrade to 2D-capable scanners where necessary.
However, many environments will support both 1D and 2D barcodes during the transition period.
Not always — but many legacy label printing environments may require upgrades.
Older printer fleets often rely on outdated firmware, printer languages, or limited formatting capabilities that make it difficult to support modern barcode formats or updated label structures.
Modern industrial printers, such as Toshiba BX Series printers, support advanced label formats and provide compatibility with both legacy and modern printing environments.
In many cases, existing label systems can support 2D barcodes with updates to label design and printing workflows. However, challenges may arise when:
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Label data is hard-coded into legacy applications
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Printer languages are tied to older hardware
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Changes require extensive IT involvement
Solutions such as print data conversion and native PDF printing can help modernize label environments without requiring application rewrites.
Several industries are already preparing for the shift to 2D barcodes, including:
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Retail
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Manufacturing
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Healthcare
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Logistics and distribution
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Food and consumer goods
These industries rely heavily on barcode-driven processes and benefit from improved traceability and product data access.
Dealers can support customers by helping them:
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Assess their current barcode and labeling infrastructure
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Evaluate label printer compatibility
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Update label formats for 2D barcodes
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Modernize printing environments without disrupting operations
Working with a flexible printing platform can make the transition significantly easier.
Toshiba BX Series industrial printers help organizations modernize their labeling environments while maintaining compatibility with existing workflows.
Key capabilities include:
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Native PDF printing for modern label formats
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Print Data Converter to support legacy Zebra ZPL environments
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Industrial reliability for high-volume printing
These features allow businesses to transition to 2D barcode printing while minimizing disruption.
The Sunrise 2027 initiative is a phased industry transition. By 2027, many retailers and supply chain partners will begin supporting 2D barcode scanning at point-of-sale, allowing products to carry richer digital information within a single barcode.
Businesses are encouraged to begin evaluating their labeling infrastructure now to ensure a smooth transition.