A 2D barcode is a two-dimensional code that can store much more information than traditional linear UPC or EAN barcodes, which have limited data capacity.
Typically printed on product packaging as a QR code, a 2D barcode can be scanned with a smartphone to provide product details. On scanning at the Point of Sale, it displays the product's GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) and price.
Click here to view our detailed step-by-step instructions.
1. Register for a Standard Plan – includes a 3-month free trial (no upfront payment required).
2. Complete the Add a Product form.
3. Download your 2D Barcode (QR Code) from your dashboard.
4. Print your 2D Barcode on your product packaging or labels.
You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your subscription at any time.
Please note: You’ll need a GTIN number (EAN-13 or UPC) for each product. If you don’t already have GTINs, IBN Link can supply them for you – simply select the “PLANS + GTINS” option when signing up.
1. A unique Digital Link and a 2D Barcode for each product. (Note: You will need to get a GTIN number first. IBN Link can provide GTINs if you don’t already have one).
2. Utilise our server to effortlessly create digital product information for each product.
3. Customised product information visible to customers through our IBN Link Resolver Service. Choose the Link Types and then select which product information URL each Link Type should point to. You can revisit and modify your product information or links at any time in the future.
4. Seamless integration of your Digital Product Information with Apps and Databases.
5. 3-month free trial (with our Standard Plans), along with access to our premium product content platform and IBN Link Resolver service! Sign up is quick and easy.
Traditional barcodes (EAN/UPC) represent data using a linear series of black and white lines. In contrast, 2D barcodes use patterns like squares, dots, or hexagons, allowing them to store more data in less space.
Both traditional and 2D barcodes encode the product's GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) and display it when scanned at the Point of Sale. However, 2D barcodes can also be scanned with smartphones, offering far more product information than traditional barcodes.
Retailers are transitioning to 2D barcodes because they:
- Store more information (e.g., batch numbers, expiration dates)
- Offer faster and more accurate scanning
- Use the same GTIN as traditional barcodes
- Include links to online product information
- Are versatile across various products and industries
While the transition to 2D barcodes is underway, most retailers will continue to accept traditional UPC/EAN barcodes for a period of time. However, it is advisable to adopt 2D barcodes as soon as possible.
2D barcodes are the future of retail and will eventually replace traditional EAN and UPC barcodes on product labels. Find out why 2D barcodes are replacing older barcode formats.
It is highly recommended that brands and manufacturers start including 2D Barcodes on their product labels now. Currently, 2D Barcodes and traditional barcodes are used together, but in the future, only 2D Barcodes will be needed.
The global barcode industry has set a target of 2027. By then, all retailers are expected to support scanning 2D Barcodes at the point of sale.
By using 2D barcodes, your products will be prepared for the future of retail, ensuring compatibility with modern retail systems. This shift also offers better product tracking, improved inventory management, and more detailed product information for customers.
At IBN Link, we provide an easy-to-use platform where you can create 2D barcodes for your products. Simply enter your product information and our system will generate the barcode for you.
We offer a 3-month free trial – click here to get your first 2D Barcodes.
Before switching to 2D Barcodes, you’ll need a GTIN number (UPC or EAN-13) for each product and variation. This globally unique barcode number is encoded into the 2D Barcode to ensure each barcode is unique worldwide. You can purchase a GTIN for a one-time cost.
Once you have your GTIN, you can sign up with IBN Link to get a 2D Barcode. There is a small monthly fee as 2D Barcodes are managed on our platform, allowing you to update the linked information anytime. You can check out our membership options here. We offer a free trial, and you can cancel at any time.
The main cost associated with switching to 2D Barcodes is updating your product packaging to include the new barcode.
Customers can scan 2D Barcodes using standard barcode scanners at retail outlets or through smartphone cameras using various barcode scanning applications.
2D Barcodes use a resolver service. They are not the same as other more simple QR codes. Ultimately, the goal is to use just one 2D Barcode on your product packaging. This 2D Barcode contains all the necessary information, including the barcode number (GTIN).
Unlike other QR codes that may have changing URIs and cause broken links, the Digital Link 2D Barcode uniquely identifies the product, much like the traditional barcode does with the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). Thanks to its standardized encoding within the 2D barcode, scanners can always recognize and interpret the data, ensuring the URI* consistently leads to the correct product webpage.
This simplifies product management for brand owners, allowing them to make updates and run promotions without worrying about link issues. Digital Link URIs follow a specific pattern using specialized technology, making it easy for barcode scanners to identify them.
*In the context of GS1 Digital Link, a Digital Link is called a URI because it follows a structured identifier format (with GS1 data elements). In practice, it’s also a URL, because it’s an web address you can open. A simple way to think about it is that all URLs are URIs, but not all URIs are URLs. For example, URL (also a URI): https://example.com/product/123 → You can open it in a browser but URI (but NOT a URL) urn:gtin:09506000134352 → Identifies a product, but has no internet link.
A 2D Barcode encodes a Digital Link, which is a unique web link (URI) connecting a physical product to its digital information. The link must be properly formatted to establish this connection; otherwise, the physical product won't link to its digital counterpart.
A Digital Link starts with a domain, followed by /01/, and then the product's GTIN number.
Extra product information such as batch number or expiry date can be added to the end of the URI too (these are called attributes and qualifiers).
The Digital Link URL is encoded into a 2D Barcode (usually a QR Code) which is then printed on the product label.
When retailers scan the 2D Barcode at the point of sale, it functions just like a normal UPC or EAN barcode image, displaying the product GTIN number and price.
However, when a customer scans the 2D Barcode on their smartphone camera or app, it connects the user to rich digital product information.
The true power of 2D Barcodes lies in their flexibility. Consumers want to access specific product information that is directly relevant to them, such as product information in their own language, nutritional content details, or recipe ideas. This is where Resolvers come into play. Resolvers are a web server system that use Link Types to direct different scans of the 2D Barcode to the appropriate endpoint.
A Resolver is a web server that can be used by a website to unpack the information in a Digital Link and then redirect the user to the appropriate place, such as a "recycling" page or a "recipe ideas" page. Resolvers can also decode data attributes, such as batch numbers or expiry dates, and present this information to the user in plain language.
A Resolver can be utilised at either a website level or within a mobile app. For example, a nutrition app could provide nutritional information about the product, a sustainability app could offer details about packaging, an instructional app could provide a link to a quick start guide, or an all-in-one app could allow users to choose which information they want to access.
Resolvers operate by using specific GS1 Link Types that can be added to the end of a Digital Link. This link type can be embedded in the original 2D Barcode or added by a resolver on a website or within an app.
Our IBN Link Resolver can decode GS1 Link Types – find out how to add Link Types to your 2D Barcodes using the IBN Link Platform.
Please view Upgrading scanners for 2D barcodes for full details.
