Almost 50 years after Wrigley’s chewing gum became the first product to carry a barcode, the organisation behind the tech is launching a new version it claims will “revolutionise” retail.
GS1 will later this month unveil its next generation of barcodes to its 58,000 members.
The launch will enable brands to set up their own QR codes. These contain GS1 barcodes within the web address, which will link to multiple sources of SKU-specific content.
GS1 said the development represented a huge step forward from the current uses for QR codes, which tend to be limited to just one time-limited function, such as an on-pack promotion.
It predicted thousands of companies would soon begin rolling out the licensed technology, which would allow them to provide detailed information on areas such as nutritional information, health credentials and recycling information, as well as areas required by current and future government legislation.
“We’ve got 59,000 members, most of those within the retail space, from multinational and SMEs,” said GS1 UK head of retail Kerry Morrison.
“We know their priorities are sustainability, driving revenues, digital transformation and consumer engagement.
“The sort of QR code campaigns that have gone before are very limited in their function and quickly become out of date. By adding the GS1 barcode into to the web address, brands can ensure consumers are instantly connected to key digital content that relates to that specific product plus whatever else the manufacturer would like to share.”
Morrison said brands using the barcode would be able to work with their own creative agencies to host information from their own websites, giving them ownership of the relationship with consumers.
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