Will the store's checkout scanner read it?

A 2D-capable (imaging) scanner can. An older scanner that only reads 1D barcodes can't read a QR code, which is why GS1's guidance is to add the 2D code and keep your UPC on the pack during the transition. When each store upgrades its scanners is up to the retailer — see our guide to what to ask them.

No. The QR code carries the GTIN you already have. You claim it here once, and we verify it before any link goes live.

Can I keep the UPC on the pack?

Yes, and during the transition you should. Label export gives you the QR and the UPC-A/EAN-13 together, each sized to GS1's minimum print rules.

What if our website changes?

Update the link in the dashboard. The printed code points at the resolver, not your site directly, so nothing on the shelf needs to change.

Is this a proprietary short link?

No. It's the GS1 Digital Link format, and the resolver passes GS1's own official conformance suite. You can also run it on your own domain instead of the shared one.

Are you GS1 certified?

The resolver itself passes GS1's own official conformance suite — that's the actual technical standard a GS1 Digital Link resolver is measured against. We've applied for GS1 Solution Partner status (a separate, business-side program) and are waiting to hear back. Until then, every claim on the shared host goes through our own admin review before it can resolve, including a dispute process if two accounts ever contest the same GTIN.

RESOLVER STATUS: ACTIVE // GS1 DIGITAL LINK CONFORMANT

Stores are moving to 2D barcodes. Get your products ready.

Retail checkouts are upgrading from 1D barcodes to scanners that read 2D. A GS1 Digital Link QR code on your pack does the job your UPC does at the register — and also opens a page you control on the shopper's phone, one you can change after the label is printed.

GS1 URI standard specification

// GS1 Digital Link canonical structure (illustrative)

https://qr-42.com/01/00000012345007/10/LOT-8891

Resolver hostqr-42.com, or your own domain

App identifier01 = GTIN

Product GTIN-14The number you already have

Batch / lot (optional)AI 10, for lot-level routing

1D + 2D

Dual barcode on one label

100%

Open standard, no lock-in

SVG

Vector label export

REST

PIM / ERP API

Encodes: https://qr-42.com/01/00000012345007
At the register: Rings up GTIN 00000012345007

Real output from this product's own label export, encoding a GTIN that's genuinely claimed and live on our resolver — scan it yourself.

Why it's happening

Preparing brands for GS1 Sunrise 2027

Retail checkouts are moving from 1D UPC/EAN barcodes to 2D codes ahead of GS1 US's Sunrise 2027 target, which means the stores' scanners have to change too: a 1D-only scanner can't read a QR code. QR Code 42 provides the management and label infrastructure for that transition — read the full timeline on the Sunrise 2027 page, check whether the stores that carry you are ready, or see the short version below.

Dual labeling: the QR is added next to the barcode you already have.

Legacy standard

1D UPC / EAN barcodes

Static linear barcodes containing only a raw GTIN. Limited to retail checkout scanning, with no consumer engagement.

→ Single utility: POS checkout scanner only
→ No dynamic routing or web connectivity
→ Fixed packaging real estate
→ Can't convey batch, lot, or expiry to shoppers

Sunrise 2027 standard

GS1 Digital Link 2D QR code

A single on-pack 2D code encoding a web URI that acts as both a POS checkout GTIN and a mobile landing page.

→ Dual utility: retail POS checkout + consumer smartphone
→ Dynamic routing by language, country, lot, or serial
→ One on-pack footprint, SVG label export
→ Claim and update links via dashboard or API

Moving to 2D barcodes

If that's why you're here, these are the questions most people start with.

Will the store's checkout scanner read it?: A 2D-capable (imaging) scanner can. An older scanner that only reads 1D barcodes can't read a QR code, which is why GS1's guidance is to add the 2D code and keep your UPC on the pack during the transition. When each store upgrades its scanners is up to the retailer — see our guide to what to ask them.
Do I need new GTINs?: No. The QR code carries the GTIN you already have. You claim it here once, and we verify it before any link goes live.
Can I keep the UPC on the pack?: Yes, and during the transition you should. Label export gives you the QR and the UPC-A/EAN-13 together, each sized to GS1's minimum print rules.
What if our website changes?: Update the link in the dashboard. The printed code points at the resolver, not your site directly, so nothing on the shelf needs to change.
Is this a proprietary short link?: No. It's the GS1 Digital Link format, and the resolver passes GS1's own official conformance suite. You can also run it on your own domain instead of the shared one.
Are you GS1 certified?: The resolver itself passes GS1's own official conformance suite — that's the actual technical standard a GS1 Digital Link resolver is measured against. We've applied for GS1 Solution Partner status (a separate, business-side program) and are waiting to hear back. Until then, every claim on the shared host goes through our own admin review before it can resolve, including a dispute process if two accounts ever contest the same GTIN.

Platform services & tools

Platform capabilities

Core management utilities and label export services, built for physical product brands preparing for 2D barcode standards — real and running today, not a roadmap.

Service // 01

GS1 Digital Link QR resolution

Claim a GTIN, get it verified, and it resolves live — readable by retail checkout scanners and consumer smartphones alike.

Service // 02

Dynamic link routing

Directs scans to tailored destinations by language, country, or lot/serial — and supports simple /l/ landing pages.

Service // 03

Dual-barcode label export

Generates an exportable SVG combining your GS1 Digital Link QR code with your existing UPC-A or EAN-13 barcode.

Service // 04

Custom brand domain hosting

Host your GS1 Digital Link QR codes and short links on your own domain instead of the shared resolver host (Growth tier and up).

Service // 05

Scan analytics

Tracks and reports scan activity by date, link destination, and country.

Service // 06

Integration API

Scoped API keys for automated GTIN claims, product updates, and link management — see API docs.

Execution engine

Resolver engine architecture

How the resolver handles an incoming scan. A POS scanner never reaches step 3 or 4 — it decodes the GTIN straight out of the symbol's own GS1 structure, with no network request at all. Only a phone's camera app follows the code as a URL.

Step 01

Optical scan

A camera lens or POS laser reads the on-pack 2D GS1 Digital Link QR code's URI string from the packaging.

Step 02

Identifier parsing

For a phone's HTTP request, the resolver parses GS1 Application Identifiers: GTIN (01), product variant (22), lot/batch (10), or serial (21).

Step 03

Context evaluation

Evaluates the Accept-Language header, GeoIP country, and any lot/serial qualifiers present in the path.

Step 04

Target redirect

Redirects the phone's browser to the matching destination link, per the resolver's own linkset rules.

The same printed code serves two completely different readers.

This split — scanner reads digits, phone follows a URL — is the entire point of the GS1 Digital Link standard: one printed code serving two completely different kinds of reader.

Technical specs

GS1 technical specifications

What this resolver actually implements today — no symbologies or export formats beyond what's real.

GS1 standard compliance	GS1 Digital Link Standard — resolver verified against GS1's own official conformance suite.
Supported barcode symbology	GS1 Digital Link QR code, paired with your existing UPC-A or EAN-13 on the same label.
Core application identifiers	`(01)` GTIN-14, `(22)` CPV, `(10)` Batch/Lot, `(21)` Serial.
Label export format	Vector SVG (QR + 1D barcode, sized to GS1's print minimums).
Domain configuration	Shared resolver host (`qr-42.com`) or your own custom brand domain (Growth tier and up).
Resolution rules engine	`Accept-Language` header, GeoIP country, lot/serial qualifier routing.

Developer tools

Integration API

Scoped API keys for automated GTIN claims, product updates, and link management — integrate with a PIM or ERP. Full reference at /docs/api.

HTTP request // POST /api/v1/gtins

curl -X POST https://qrcode42.com/api/v1/gtins \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer qr42_live_..." \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "gtin14": "00000012345007",
    "hostname": "qr-42.com",
    "evidenceUrl": "https://yourbrand.com/products/trail-mix"
  }'

Response // 201 Created

{
  "id": "claim_...",
  "org_id": "org_...",
  "gtin14": "00000012345007",
  "host_id": "host_...",
  "status": "pending",
  "evidence_ref": "https://yourbrand.com/products/trail-mix",
  "verified_by": null,
  "verified_at": null,
  "created_at": "2026-09-30 12:00:00"
}

On the shared qr-42.com host, a claim starts pending and needs admin review before it resolves publicly — claiming isn't the same as going live. On a brand host you already own, it auto-verifies immediately.

What's in the product today

Real and running — sign up above and every item below is something you can do in the next five minutes.

Codes and labels

GTIN claims reviewed before going live. QR + UPC-A/EAN-13 label export (SVG). Bulk CSV import of links for claimed GTINs.

Links

Different pages by language and country. Lot- and serial-level links, e.g. for a recall. Short links and simple /l/ landing pages. Your own domain instead of qr-42.com.

Running it

Scan counts by day, link, and country. Team roles and passkey sign-in. API keys for claims, products, and links (docs). Monthly or yearly billing; invoices on Enterprise.

Pricing

Priced on claimed GTINs — counted the moment you claim one, whether or not it has a link yet. Start free: 1 product QR code and 1 short link, no card required.

Plan	Price	Active GTINs	Includes
Free trial	$0, no card	1	1 product QR code with its links and label export, 1 short link, 30-day analytics. Free forever; upgrade any time for more.
Starter	$15/mo · $150/yr	100	Shared `qr-42.com`, links, `/s/` short links, label export, 30-day analytics, public API, bulk CSV import, per-country & per-language links, lot/serial scopes, 1 `/l/` landing page
Growth	$49/mo · $490/yr	1,000	+ 1 brand host, unlimited `/l/` pages, 1-year analytics
Scale	$199/mo · $1,990/yr	10,000	+ 5 brand hosts
Enterprise	from $3,000/yr	Custom	SLA, dedicated support, invoice billing

Company & principles

About QR Code 42

QR Code 42 provides GS1 Digital Link QR code management and label export for physical product brands — one on-pack 2D code that works as both a checkout scanner GTIN and a mobile landing page, built for GS1 Sunrise 2027.

Transparency

Clear technical specs, open data formats, and a straightforward architecture — no hidden abstractions.

Open standards

Built on the official GS1 Digital Link standard, verified against GS1's own conformance suite — no proprietary lock-in.

Practicality

Pragmatic, high-utility tools for supply chain managers, packaging designers, and developers.

Honesty

Direct communication, evidence-backed capabilities, and a straightforward pricing structure — including correcting ourselves in public when we get something wrong.