For a long time, detailed product traceability was someone else's problem, a pharmaceutical concern, a regulated food issue. That's now changed. Consumer expectations around transparency have shifted, regulators have broadened their scope, and a series of well-publicised recalls has made the whole supply chain more conscious of what it does and doesn't know about its own products.
That’s why 2D codes are appearing more often on products across all packaging lines and manufacturing environments. While the change has been gradual, it is already influencing how products are identified, tracked and verified across supply chains.
Even so, many organisations continue to treat 2D barcodes as a future consideration rather than a current operational requirement.
Compliance requirements are becoming more detailed
Regulatory obligations are no longer limited to identifying a product at point of sale. Increasingly, they require access to batch information, expiry dates, serialisation and origin data, often at item level.
Traditional linear barcodes were never designed to carry this depth of information. They perform a single function well, but they rely on external systems to fill in the gaps. As compliance frameworks evolve, that limitation becomes more obvious.
2D barcodes allow multiple data points to be carried in a single symbol, without increasing label size or adding complexity on the production line. For manufacturers, this provides a practical way to meet emerging requirements without redesigning packaging each time obligations change.
Data depth is becoming operationally important
Beyond compliance, 2D barcodes change how much information can travel with a product. A linear barcode identifies an item. A 2D code can also indicate when it was produced, how long it has left on shelf, or whether specific handling rules apply.
This has practical implications for inventory accuracy, shelf-life management and recall execution. It also supports more flexible manufacturing and labelling strategies, particularly where short runs, market-specific packaging or frequent updates are required.
It also reduces reliance on manual checks, which remain a common source of errors in inventory and compliance processes. Cleaner data at label level means fewer discrepancies to resolve further down the chain.
As supply chains become more complex, access to this level of data is increasingly about operational control rather than innovation for its own sake.
Traceability expectations are expanding beyond high-risk sectors
Traceability has traditionally been standard practice in pharmaceuticals and regulated food categories and is now becoming more relevant across mainstream FMCG and general manufacturing.
This shift reflects growing expectations for faster recall execution, clearer auditability and greater transparency across the supply chain.
2D barcodes support this by enabling product-level traceability rather than relying on batch-based assumptions. When scanned, they can link a physical item to its digital record, providing clearer visibility across production, distribution and retail environments. In many cases, this can be achieved using existing scanning and printing infrastructure, making adoption less disruptive than it is often assumed to be.
The transition is already underway
Global initiatives such as “Ambition 2027”, driven by GS1, aim to enable retailers around the world to scan 2D barcodes at point of sale. Many businesses are encountering these requirements well before that date through retailer readiness programs and compliance reviews. In Australia, Woolworths has already introduced 2D barcodes on fresh produce, using the richer data to improve stock decisions and shelf availability, with the same code scanning at point of sale. It is an early example of how the transition can deliver operational benefits beyond compliance.
While 2027 can feel distant, preparing for 2D barcodes involves more than changing a symbol on a label. Print quality, scanner capability, data management, and process alignment all need to be considered. These changes take time to plan and implement properly.
Because systems continue to function with linear barcodes today, the transition can appear less urgent than it is. The risk is leaving preparation too late and being forced into reactive changes under pressure.
According to GS1 Australia’s COO, Marcel Sieria, next generation barcodes are being adopted at an accelerating pace by retailers and brands across the globe. Sieria also emphasises that companies who modernise their product identification today withGS1 compliant identifiers and next generation barcode formats will remain competitive, discoverable, and fully aligned with emerging retail requirements.
Tools like BarTender take much of the operational complexity out of the transition. With support for 2D formats including QR barcodes and Data Matrix, and integration with existing ERP and warehouse systems, manufacturers can adopt compliant labelling without overhauling the infrastructure they already have.
A gradual shift with long-term implications
The move to 2D barcodes does not require an immediate overhaul of existing operations. For most organisations, it will be phased in alongside current barcoding approaches.
What matters is recognising that the shift is already happening, driven by compliance and traceability requirements rather than technology trends. Businesses that start preparing early will be better positioned to meet future expectations with minimal disruption.
The change may be subtle, but it is reshaping how products are identified and managed across the supply chain.
