Is Your TSC or Printronix Printer Ready for 2D Barcodes? GS1 Sunrise 2027 Explained
By Infinite Solutions — Authorized TSC Auto ID & Printronix Distributor, New Delhi
GS1, the global body that governs barcode standards, has set 2027 as the target year for retailers and manufacturers worldwide to support 2D barcodes (QR codes and Data Matrix) at the point of sale — alongside or instead of traditional 1D barcodes. If your business prints labels for retail, pharma, or export, this affects you directly. Here is what is actually changing and what to check on your printer.
What Is GS1 Sunrise 2027?
GS1 is the international standards organisation that created the barcode system used on virtually every retail product worldwide — the familiar 1D barcode (UPC/EAN) found on grocery items, pharmaceuticals, and industrial goods. Sunrise 2027 is GS1's global initiative to transition point-of-sale scanning from these 1D barcodes to 2D barcodes such as QR codes and Data Matrix codes.
The reason is simple: a 1D barcode can typically only store a product identification number. A 2D barcode can store that same number plus batch number, expiry date, serial number, and a direct link to a web page — all in a code roughly the same size. For industries like pharma, food, and export manufacturing, this unlocks compliance and traceability that 1D barcodes cannot support.
What Changes for Indian Businesses
| Today (1D Barcode) | By 2027 (2D Barcode / GS1 Digital Link) |
|---|---|
| Stores only a product ID number | Stores product ID + batch + expiry + serial number + web link |
| Scanned only at checkout counter | Scannable by checkout scanners AND customer smartphones |
| No link to digital content | Can link to product pages, recall notices, sustainability data |
| Limited traceability (batch level at best) | Unit-level traceability — critical for pharma and food safety |
| Requires only basic 1D laser/CCD scanners | Requires imager-based scanners that read 2D symbologies |
This is largely a software and process update on the printer side — most modern TSC and Printronix industrial printers can already print 2D barcodes. The bigger gap is usually on the scanning side, where older 1D-only scanners cannot read QR or Data Matrix codes at all.
Is Your TSC or Printronix Printer Already 2D-Ready?
Good news: nearly every TSC and Printronix thermal printer sold in the last 10 years supports 2D barcode printing out of the box. Print quality and printhead condition matter more than the printer model itself — 2D codes pack far more data into the same space, so a worn printhead or low-resolution model that “got away with” producing readable 1D barcodes may fail to produce a scannable 2D code.
| Check | Why It Matters for 2D Barcodes |
|---|---|
| Printer resolution (DPI) | 203 DPI is usable for most 2D codes; 300 DPI recommended for small labels or fine Data Matrix codes |
| Printhead condition | Worn printheads cause missing dots — fatal for dense 2D codes even if 1D codes still scan |
| Firmware version | Older firmware may lack GS1 Digital Link / 2D symbology support — usually a free update |
| Label software (BarTender, NiceLabel etc.) | Must support GS1 Digital Link encoding — most current versions already do |
| Scanner fleet | 1D-only laser scanners must be replaced with 2D imager scanners |
Who Needs to Act First
🔴 High Priority — Act in 2026
- Pharmaceutical manufacturers (UDI / track-and-trace mandates)
- Export manufacturers shipping to EU, US, or other GS1 Sunrise markets
- FMCG brands supplying organised retail chains
- Medical device manufacturers
🟡 Plan Ahead — Act by Early 2027
- General logistics and warehousing operations
- Domestic-only retail and distribution businesses
- Industrial asset tagging (internal use only)
- Electronics and automotive component labeling
Related Trend: RFID Is Growing Alongside Barcodes, Not Replacing Them
Industry-wide, RFID adoption is accelerating in pharma and retail for use cases like UDI compliance and bulk inventory counts without line-of-sight scanning. Crucially, RFID is not replacing barcodes — most operations are moving to a hybrid model where barcodes remain the low-cost, human-readable identifier and RFID adds speed for bulk scanning. Printronix's T6000e and T8000 RFID-capable printers are built exactly for this hybrid approach, encoding RFID tags and printing barcodes in a single pass.
3 Steps to Prepare Your Printer Fleet Now
Print a QR code or Data Matrix at your normal label size on your current TSC or Printronix printer and scan it with a 2D imager scanner. If it scans cleanly, your hardware is ready — the gap is likely on the scanning side.
If 2D codes print with missing or merged dots, your printhead may be near end-of-life. WhatsApp us a photo of the printed code and we will assess whether cleaning, calibration, or replacement is needed.
Most businesses do not need to replace their printer fleet for Sunrise 2027 — a printhead refresh, firmware update, and label software check is often sufficient. We can audit your current setup and tell you honestly what needs to change.
Get a Free 2D Barcode Readiness Check
Authorized TSC Auto ID & Printronix Distributor · GS1 Compliance Guidance · Pan-India Support
Infinite Solutions | Janakpuri District Centre, New Delhi | GSTIN: 07AFEPB0340P1ZO