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GS1 Digital Link

Looking to simplify your packaging while giving customers access to detailed product information? The GS1 Digital Link standard transforms your barcode into a gateway to richer, real-time data — all with a single scan. Here’s what you need to know.

What is GS1 Digital Link?

GS1 Digital Link upgrades the traditional barcode into a web-enabled data carrier, allowing brands to share more product information without cluttering packaging.

It does this by embedding a standardised link structure (a unique web address) into any barcode, QR code, or tag. This link can direct consumers, retailers or supply chain partners to the relevant product data, such as ingredients, recall alerts, user manuals and promotions.

What can GS1 Digital Link deliver?

  • Use-by and best-before dates
  • Nutritional or allergen information
  • Medical or pharmaceutical data
  • Troubleshooting instructions and product manuals
  • Social media links or marketing campaigns

Key features of GS1 Digital Link

  • Works with any data carrier (QR code, DataMatrix, 1D barcode, RFID, NFC)
  • Supports both B2C and B2B use cases
  • Uses global GS1 standards for universal compatibility
  • Powers traceability and recall capabilities
  • Simplifies label design with one barcode for multiple uses

Benefits of GS1 Digital Link

  • Connect with customers: Instantly link to videos, websites, or product details
  • Simplify your packaging: Replace multiple barcodes with one smart code
  • Improve supply chain visibility: Enable batch-level tracking and faster recalls
  • Enhance compliance: Store and share regulatory or medical product data
  • Strengthen consumer trust: Offer transparency through easily accessible information

Understanding the GS1 Digital Link standard

  • Encodes a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) – similar to a web URL – along with data like GTIN, batch/lot number, expiry date, etc.
  • Can be scanned by smartphones, POS systems, or supply chain scanners
  • Resolver services work behind the scenes to fetch or redirect to the right information (so data doesn’t need to be stored in one central location)
  • Seamlessly integrates with 1D and 2D barcodes, RFID, NFC tags, and other technologies
  • Supports everything from product manuals and marketing campaigns to traceability, compliance info, and warranty support

Common Scenarios Using GS1 Digital Link

  • Creating a richer customer experience
  • Sharing regulated healthcare information
  • Boosting supply chain transparency and safety
Creating a richer customer experience

A shopper scans a QR code on a product package using their smartphone. Inside that code is a GS1 Digital Link URI, which takes them to a branded webpage with content, like nutritional information and sustainability details. If they scan it using a retailer app, they may be taken to a different experience entirely, such as a loyalty program or online ordering portal. The same code unlocks multiple pathways, depending on who’s scanning it and how.

 

Sharing regulated healthcare information

A patient or healthcare provider scans the GS1 DataMatrix code on a medicine pack using a health app. Because the app understands the GS1 Digital Link standard, it connects to an approved resolver that locates and displays the official electronic patient leaflet, automatically translating it into the user’s preferred language. This ensures patients can safely and easily access trusted medical information with just one scan.

 

Boosting supply chain transparency and safety

In the B2B space, GS1 Digital Link enables trading partners to instantly access important product data, like handling instructions, hazardous material information, or safe disposal guidelines. Photos, time-stamps and other supply chain data can also be captured and shared through the link, verifying that items were packed correctly and handled according to safety protocols.

 

GS1 Digital Link Implementation Checklist

  • Assign GS1 identifiers: Start by giving each product a unique GS1 identifier, such as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and/or a Global Location Number (GLN).
  • Apply the identifiers to your packaging: Encode these GS1 identifiers into data carriers, such as EAN-13 or GS1 DataMatrix barcodes printed on your packaging.
  • Use GS1 Digital Link format for QR codes: If you're using a QR code, make sure it’s encoded with a GS1 Digital Link-formatted URI to ensure compatibility and flexibility across platforms.
  • Integrate with existing apps: Use your own or third-party applications to scan and interpret GS1 Digital Link-enabled codes, connecting users to the right information.
  • Leverage resolver tools: Set up or use existing resolver services to direct scanners to relevant product data — no matter where it’s stored.
  • Keep it simple with one code: There’s no need to clutter your packaging with multiple codes. One barcode, using GS1 Digital Link, can serve both B2C and B2B needs from point-of-sale to consumer engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GS1 Digital Link based on a global standard?

Yes. GS1 Digital Link follows an internationally recognised structure managed by GS1, the not-for-profit body behind barcode standards. This ensures that all product data and digital content are consistently connected to a common, unique product identity, enabling seamless interaction between the digital and physical world.

Who can benefit from using GS1 Digital Link?

A wide range of industries are already using GS1 Digital Link, including:

  • Retailers seeking better shopper engagement
  • Brand owners who want to share richer product content
  • Healthcare providers using it for patient information and traceability
  • Third-party logistics (3PL) companies streamlining supply chain processes
What value does GS1 Digital Link offer to brands?

For brand owners, GS1 Digital Link unlocks several key benefits:

  • Boosts customer trust and loyalty by giving consumers access to brand-authorised information (e.g. ingredients, sustainability claims, use-by dates)
  • Connects packaging to digital experiences like recipes, care instructions, or traceability insights – all via a single barcode scan
  • Improves supply chain performance through better access to safety data, handling guidance, or batch-specific info, helping prevent errors and accelerate recalls if needed