Amazon Transparency captures the future of 2D barcode traceability  

The barcode printed on nearly every consumer product is preparing for its biggest evolution in more than 50 years. Through GS1 US’s Sunrise 2027 initiative, the packaging industry is working toward a transition to 2D barcodes at point-of-sale systems. 

These intelligent barcodes resemble QR codes and hold thousands of characters, far more than the 12-digit Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). That expanded capacity could unlock new levels of product traceability, authentication, and consumer visibility. 

At Pack Expo East in Philadelphia, Amazon outlined how its Transparency Program uses item-level serialization to verify products and prevent counterfeit goods from reaching customers. The program is being aligned with GS1’s global open standards so that item-level identification works not just in Amazon’s ecosystem, but across the broader retail supply chain. 

“For years, brands have been using proprietary systems – each one different, none of them talking to each other. Our partnership with GS1 essentially aims to change that,” said Clay Ryan, head of worldwide business for Amazon Transparency.  

The barcode evolution doesn’t just impact consumers. It also affects machine builders and packaging lines.

Amazon transparency brings serialization to scale 

To authenticate products throughout the supply chain, Amazon’s Transparency Program relies on serialization technology. 

Brands participating in the program apply unique codes to individual items, allowing Amazon to scan and verify products before they are shipped to customers.

“We have 88,000 brands using the service worldwide,” said Ryan. “What makes us unique is essentially that we’ve proven serialization infrastructure at scale.” 

Ryan illustrated the challenge by sharing an example involving a premium skincare brand. 

“Imagine for a moment you’re a premium skincare brand. You’ve spent years building trust, formulating your products, and perfecting your brand. And then one day a customer gets a counterfeit version of your product from a bad actor,” said Ryan. “Who are they going to blame? They’re going to blame the brand. Your brand. Our mutual customer is ultimately the one that tends to take the hit, and this is exactly why we created Transparency.” 

When a seller attempts to list a product on Amazon, they must provide that unique code. 

“So, each bottle essentially gets a unique transparency code,” said Ryan. “Think of it like a fingerprint, no two are alike.” 

Ryan said Amazon isn’t waiting for customers to report problems. “We’re trying to stop them before they happen,” he said. 

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As manufacturers consider moving to GS1-compliant 2D barcodes, Ryan encouraged them to do so during packaging redesign cycles. 

“Brands who implement this now, during their normal packaging refresh cycle, will have a massive cost advantage, we think, over brands who will likely be scrambling to do it later on, when the demand goes up,” he said. 

Thinking outside the box: 2D barcodes shift to shared standards

Amazon’s Transparency program shows how serialization can give each product unit its own identity. Those unique identifiers allow items to be verified and tracked throughout distribution.

The next step is 2D barcodes, which provide a way to embed that identity directly on the package. These intelligent barcodes can hold more than 4,000 characters compared to the 12 digits in a traditional 1D barcode. With this expanded capacity, manufacturers can embed information, including batch numbers, allergens, expiration dates, and sourcing details. 

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These data-rich 2D barcodes are designed to replace the patchwork of QR codes currently printed on packaging with a single barcode consumers can scan. 

Teresa Williams, director of strategic partnerships at GS1 US, explained how existing packages often contain several codes for consumers to scan – whether for gluten-free certifications, recycling information, or links to a brand’s website.

“It almost looks like it’s NASCAR-branded,” she said. “With the concept of Sunrise 2027, it’s a single barcode – not only for the consumer to scan with their phones, but to engage with the brand.” 

This added data can support farm-to-fork transparency and faster recall notifications. 

“Rather than having to find out from watching the news that their lettuce is bad, they can get a notification right away to throw it out,” said Williams. 

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For manufacturers and retailers, that same technology can help identify specific units associated with a particular batch or production run instead of pulling entire product lines from shelves.

“With your inventory management and having your expiration date inside of a 2D barcode, you can keep products from leaving the store that have expired,” said Andrew Morehead Jr., director of global standards at GS1 US. “Or, if you really want to get rid of them, you can even discount them before they expire, so you’re managing inventory a lot better.”

And while these barcodes connect the packaging ecosystem, they also have accessibility benefits for consumers. 

“When you scan it for people who are visually impaired, it’ll speak out the ingredients to you, so you know that you’re grabbing the right product,” said Morehead.

Getting in line: Machine builders’ prep for 2D barcodes

The supply chain and consumer benefits would not be possible without the work of machine builders. 2D barcodes bring greater density, emphasizing the need for proper printing and scanning on packaging lines. 

Like 1D barcodes, 2D barcodes can be pre-printed, but they also support compact encoding of dynamic data. Morehead explained how OEMs are updating existing lines ahead of Sunrise 2027. 

“They are increasing the print technologies to be able to apply those barcodes at the same speeds they’re doing on the manufacturing line, while maintaining the quality,” he said. “You don’t want to print these barcodes too fast, so they don’t scan.” 

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Poor print quality could result in scan failures, especially in high-throughput operations. 

Morehead added that during the migration period, both 1D and 2D barcodes will be printed in close proximity to prevent double scans at checkout and to allow trading partners to update their systems, allowing for just one barcode to meet all business needs.

Packaging’s future, in a single scan

As Sunrise 2027 approaches, companies across the packaging ecosystem – from machine builders to manufacturers, and retailers such as Amazon – are evaluating how 2D barcodes could reshape product tracking, authentication, and consumer interaction. 

“That one barcode is going to be doing so much, but it’s also going to be opening up the online world to your product packaging,” said Morehead. “It’s basically the gateway that’s starting it all.”