(Feature Impact) For more than 50 years, traditional universal product codes (UPCs), better known as barcodes, have automated checkout, powered retail and kept the world’s products moving one scan at a time.

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Now it’s time for the next chapter. Brands and retailers are transitioning to QR codes powered by GS1 to enhance everyday shopping experiences, unlock more information and empower customers to make informed purchase decisions with a simple smartphone scan – while still going “beep” at the register.

For decades, UPC barcodes simply provided the price of an item, but today’s shoppers are looking for more information. This retail-labeling transformation will include advanced QR codes that unlock information about ingredients, allergens, freshness, product origin, sustainability details, recipes and more. Retailers have set a 2027 target to accept these QR codes at checkout, which can help them better operate and serve their customers in numerous ways, such as preventing recalled products from being sold.

They can also help reduce food waste, save consumers money and help people make smarter purchases by encouraging shoppers to have a richer experience with the products they’re putting in their carts.

Visit gs1us.org/smarter to discover more about the future of shopping and checkout.

Source: GS1