Glossary
GS1 Digital Link
GS1 Digital Link is a URL syntax that carries GS1 identifiers such as a GTIN, batch and expiry date. It lets a single QR code on packaging serve both consumers and supply-chain scanners.
The syntax
https://example.com/01/09520123456788/10/ABC123/17/260901
01 is the GTIN, 10 the batch or lot, 17 the expiry date, 21 a serial number. A
web server reads the path and returns a consumer page; a supply-chain scanner reads the
same string as structured GS1 data.
Why it matters now
Retail is migrating from the 1D barcode to a 2D code at point of sale — the Sunrise 2027 initiative. The same code that scans at the till can carry batch and expiry for recall management, and link the consumer to provenance and allergen information.
The EU Digital Product Passport is pushing in the same direction: regulated categories will need a data carrier linking a physical product to durable digital information.
Practical notes
- Keep the domain short. The identifiers are long, and every character costs modules.
- Serialised codes are unique per item, so this implies variable-data printing.
- The uppercase-alphanumeric trick applies: an all-uppercase host and path encodes more efficiently.
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