A GS1 US research study revealed that 82% of retailers and 92% of brand owners support transitioning from the universal product code (U.P.C.) to a data-rich two-dimensional (2D) barcode. It is one way to meet changing consumer needs for more product information. (e.g., QR Code, GS1 DataMatrix), digital watermark and/or RFID in the next one to five years.
The study recognizes that an advanced data carrier is needed to evolve retail and provide consumers with detailed product information and transparency. Similarly, retail trading partners will benefit from robust supply chain data. The next-generation barcode(s) to be chosen by industry will embed more information on product packaging and continue to leverage the GS1 Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) standard — the number encoded in the U.P.C. that uniquely identifies a product at checkout.