For the past 50 years, every time you’ve bought something in a shop, the barcode has likely been scanned at the checkout – whether in a supermarket or a clothing store.
However, this will change in the next few years, as retailers start to ditch the ‘old-fashioned’ barcodes with lines and replace them with modern pixel-based square QR codes, also known as ‘2D barcodes’.
This is based on GS1, the world’s only provider of official Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) – the unique numbers used on each barcode. They claim the new code is able to store more information about the product, such as ingredients, possible allergens, and can even provide recipe suggestions for foods.
Currently, traditional barcodes are only capable of storing seven specific pieces of information – item name, manufacturer, product type, size, color, weight and price.
Anne Godfrey, chief executive of GS1 UK, claims almost half of UK retailers have updated their payments to prepare for the use of QR codes.
Tesco is the first retailer to start making big changes, as the supermarket is currently trialling the use of QR codes on some of its own brand fresh produce and meat products, including lemons, limes, steaks and sausages.
Other brands that have adopted 2D barcodes include L’Oreal, Unilever, and Procter & Gamble.
The technology is still in the early stages of development, but is intended to be scannable on computers and mobile devices.
QR codes have been used for some time, generally in stores and restaurants, but became increasingly popular during the pandemic when everyone had to scan them to order from menus at restaurants or bars.
And recently these ads have started appearing more frequently on product packaging to provide buyers with additional information or a link to a website.
Speaking to the Mail Online, Anne said: ‘We will soon be saying goodbye to the old fashioned barcodes and every product will have just one QR code which holds all the information you need.
‘The old barcode did what it said on the tin – it beeped, told you the price, and got you out of the store. But today’s consumers want more information about the products they buy.’
Barcode experts previously explained more about QR codes and the ‘greater power’ they will give customers as they mark barcodes’ 50th anniversary.
‘By combining two of the most important inventions of the 20th century, the internet and barcodes, the next generation of barcodes will connect physical products with the digital world. “This allows consumers to access unlimited real-time information about the products they buy just by scanning a smartphone – helping them make more sustainable, safe and smart purchasing decisions,” he told Metro.
As well as Tesco, Morrisons is also thought to have started using the new code, but Anne warned that other retailers must upgrade quickly or risk being ‘left behind’.
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History of barcodes
This simple little barcode is used more times a day than Google, and its design changed the world – but do you know how or when it was first created?
Barcodes were first discovered by Norman Joseph Woodland in the late 1940s. His first major invention, a system for playing elevator music, was rejected by his father, who believed that high-stakes elevator tunes were controlled by the mob. Instead, Woodland turned its attention to the more respectable sector of product data coding.
His time as a Boy Scout prompted his breakthrough when, after drawing a series of Morse Code dots and running into the sand on a beach in Miami, he stretched it vertically through the sand, and in an instant drew the first bar code.
It was IBM colleague George J Laurer who transformed Woodland’s original sandy rectangle into the design found on biscuits and many others around the world. And on April 3, 1973, IBM’s Universal Product Code (UPC) was selected by industry leaders for adoption as the standard.
A year later, on June 26, 1974, a pack of Wrigley’s gum sold in a supermarket in Ohio became the first product scanned at the checkout counter using Laurer’s design. The barcode crossed the Atlantic in typical British style, first appearing on a box of Melrose tea bags in a supermarket in Spalding, Lincolnshire, in October 1979.
But it’s not just the UK that will see this change, as big brands around the world are also joining in on the change, including PepsiCo, Amazon and Walmart.
The international rollout of the new code is expected to be completed next year. So we will probably say goodbye to traditional barcodes for good in 2027.
“We will not celebrate the death of the humble barcode, but it is time to say goodbye to the old one,” said Anne.
And if you’re worried that changes to barcodes could cause problems for stores and customers, you don’t need to worry too much, says Theresa Lindsay, group marketing director at consumer finance brand Novuna.
This is because we have addressed the two main challenges of change – consumer backlash and implementation costs for retailers.
“The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technology, so customers are now much more comfortable scanning information quickly. We see this as an evolution that will help customers and help brands learn from real people shopping on the high street,” Theresa explained to Metro.
He continued, there are additional benefits from the introduction of QR codes, especially for people with disabilities.
‘The new barcode also addresses accessibility issues for many people. For example, visually impaired individuals can scan a QR code and receive audio assistance. “QR codes will become a more powerful tool for consumers to decide whether a product is right for them, creating greater trust and communication between brands and customers,” he said.
“From a business perspective, small retailers who adopt new QR codes can tell their stories better, providing dynamic and product-specific content. Personalizing the product experience is key when businesses are limited by product packaging or store footprint.”
Theresa added: ‘QR codes open up a range of opportunities for brands and customers, beyond just tracking the sell-by date of a product. By linking an action to a QR code, which is then evaluated to understand how consumers engage with a product or initiative, brands can learn directly from customers’ shopping interactions how to better meet their needs.’
A version of this story was first published January 3, 2025.
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