GS1 DataBar vs. GS1 QR Codes: Differences, Pros, and Cons
Barcodes are found everywhere in our world. Barcodes are used across various industries, from everyday products at the retail store to location identification throughout the supply chain. Since barcodes serve unique purposes across multiple sectors, there are several different kinds.
GS1 standards hold substantial importance in this context. They are the global language of business, enabling businesses to uniquely classify, capture, and share details about products, locations, and more. They support the product traceability and ensure better data quality.
Comparing GS1-enabled QR codes and DataBars is essential because they have overlapping functions but differ in scanning methods, data capacity, and industry applications. Businesses should assess them based on performance, regulatory needs, and adaptability to ensure the best barcode selection for their operation.
This article will compare GS1 QR codes and DataBars by exploring their differences, advantages, and disadvantages.
Table of Contents
What is GS1 Databar?
GS1 DataBar is formerly known as Reduced Space Symbology (RSS). It was officially renamed in 2010 to avoid confusion with the already widespread Really Simple Syndication (RSS) XML Feed technology.
It is a compact barcode format designed for encoding essential product information. Industries like healthcare and retail often use it for efficient inventory management.
Like most barcode systems, it provides basic error detection through a checksum method. Stakeholders often use it in point of sale, retail, logistics, consumer goods manufacturing, or situations where additional information such as product weight, expiration dates, country or origin, or serial numbers need to be encoded. It is a group of barcode types designed in different versions to meet various needs across industries.
The development of this GS1 barcode format has made tracking items throughout the supply chain easier than ever by encoding extra information such as lot numbers, expiration dates, weight, and other data points into each barcode.
It can store more information in less space than other traditional barcode formats. This makes the DataBar barcode system ideal for applications involving small items, such as fresh foods, found in retail, healthcare, and pharmaceutical markets.
These serialized GS1 codes are prevalent in various sectors, including retail, healthcare, and logistics. It was designed to be especially beneficial in environments where space is limited, such as on small items or packaging, allowing for more information sharing without increasing physical dimensions.
The representation of DataBar barcodes occurs in several variants, including Omnidirectional, Stacked, and Expanded. Each variant serves different applications, but they all share a common structure that comprises a series of bars and spaces, encoding data so that barcode scanners can read it.
Pros
Capable of larger data capacity than other 1D barcodes: This barcode system can store significantly more information than traditional barcodes. A standard UPC barcode can store 12 digits only, whereas a DataBar powered by GS1 can encode up to 74 numeric or 41 alphanumeric characters.
The larger data capacity enables the inclusion of essential information that can improve inventory management, consumer transparency, and traceability of products.
Enhanced traceability: Traceability is pivotal for retail, logistics, and food industries. In these industries, tracking the origin and movement of products can help ensure transparency to consumers. When scanned, DataBar helps businesses track batch numbers, product weight, and expiration dates, ensuring industry compliance.
Cons
Static data: They store fixed information. Once printed, the data cannot be updated or changed dynamically. They are not useful for applications requiring personalized data, real-time tracking, or dynamic inventory management, because any modification demands reprinting the barcode entirely.
Not resilient to damage: DataBars consist of a linear arrangement of bars, so they become unreadable due to damage, such as tearing, smudging, and distortion. They lack error-correction capabilities, so they can’t recover the missing data if they get damaged.
Requires a larger label space to have more data: DataBars expand horizontally with the addition of more data, requiring larger labels to store extensive information. So, they are not helpful for small product packaging or applications with limited space.
Not capable of customer engagement: These barcodes lack interactive features. They can’t store links or multimedia, so they don’t ensure an enhanced customer experience.
What is a GS1 QR Code?
A QR Code is a two-dimensional (2D) barcode that stores data horizontally and vertically. It can encode more information than a traditional linear, one-dimensional (1D) barcode. 1D barcodes, like Universal Product Codes (UPCs), are seen on products that a cashier scans at checkout.
The GS1 QR Code is a standard 2D barcode aligned with GS1, a global organization that provides universally recognized, reliable barcodes. These versatile, high-capacity barcodes facilitate product traceability and consumer engagement by linking to digital content and additional data.
It is a two-dimensional square barcode that uses the QR symbol defined by ISO/IEC 18004:2024. The way the data is structured inside makes it a GS1 QR Code — it follows GS1 identification standards, such as Application Identifiers or the GS1 Digital Link format.
GS1 2D barcodes are designed to share comprehensive product information, such as batch number, additional product ID, weight, expiry date, dimensions, variant, and certification. They let consumers access linked web content by scanning the product QR Code on the packaging.
In traditional barcodes, one can't change data once printed. They have limited storage capacity and usually hold only basic product identification. On the other hand, QR codes allow modification of links after creation.
There is a push to use 2D barcodes because they store more data, improve traceability, and enhance consumer engagement. Unlike traditional 1D barcodes, they can encode batch numbers, expiration dates, and product details in a compact format, so they are promoted as replacing barcodes.
Sunrise 2027 is a global initiative that encourages retailers to add 2D barcodes, such as Data Matrix and GS1 QR codes, to their point-of-sale systems by 2027. This will ensure that the codes can be scanned and processed efficiently.
Although not a strict deadline, it denotes a target date for businesses to transition to the next generation of barcodes and optimize their operations. It is expected to improve sustainability and ethical sourcing.
Businesses can start learning how to generate GS1 QR codes to initiate their transition and implement them at POS and warehouses.
Let’s review QR codes' pros and cons to understand their advantages and limitations.
Pros
Higher data capacity: QR codes can store a greater amount of information than DataBar. The QR code data size is 7,089 numeric characters or 4,269 alphanumeric ones.
Omnidirectional scanning: Users can scan GS1 Digital Link 2D barcodes at any angle. These codes can help recover damaged or missing modules that represent embedded data and thus decrease transaction delays.
The built-in error correction on GS1 QR codes makes the essential supply chain data accessible even when the package is partially damaged.
Customizable: You can modify the color of these codes, but do not use low contrast, color gradients, or similar tones. Dynamic QR codes enable you to change file format, app store link, and product page link.
Your business can use a GS1 QR code generator to create dynamic QR codes. These 2D barcodes are secure, editable and have comprehensive tracking and analytics.
Mobile-friendly: Almost all mobile phones today support QR code scanners. You can scan them with your phone’s camera easily and quickly to get detailed product information.
Enhanced consumer engagement: If set up correctly, any GS1 Digital Link QR code supports traceability, enabling stakeholders (retailers, manufacturers, brand owners, etc.) to track products from source to shelf. The excellent transparency helps consumers make wise choices.
These codes let businesses provide access to required product information via a scan.
Universal compatibility: These QR codes can be scanned using most modern barcode scanners and smartphones, making them more accessible.
Cons
Cost of updating supply chain equipment and system to integrate: To implement these QR codes, businesses must upgrade their existing infrastructure, including software, scanners, and databases. The transition can be expensive.
The investment in new supply chain equipment and training staff to utilize the updated system may pose financial and logistical challenges, resulting in slower adoption for some organizations.
They may link to harmful websites if not managed properly: These QR codes can store URLs, so they can direct users to fraudulent or malicious websites if not properly managed. If proper security protocols are not used, cybercriminals could exploit QR codes to trick people into visiting fake websites or downloading harmful files.
Businesses should carefully monitor and verify QR code links to keep users safe.
Key Differences Between Databar and QR Codes
Criteria | GS1 DataBar | GS1 QR Codes |
Purpose | Primarily used in retail, POS, logistics, and healthcare for encoding product details like product weight, expiration dates, country of origin, or serial numbers. | Designed to share comprehensive package information, including batch number, product ID, and quantity. They are designed for broader applications, including consumer engagement, product authentication, and supply chain tracking. |
| Scannability | Most modern scanners can scan DataBar. Proper alignment is essential during scanning. | QR codes can be scanned from any angle, which helps speed up the process. The results may differ depending on the device; POS scanners often pull up product data directly, while smartphones might open a webpage or display additional info. |
Appearance | A compact 1D barcode with a linear structure, designed for small product labels. It has variations like stacked, truncated, expanded stacked, and omnidirectional formats. | A 2D barcode is designed with a square shape, consisting commonly of black and white modules (small squares or dots) organized in a grid. |
| Data capacity | All GS1 DataBar symbols except the expanded versions: AI (01) plus a 14-digit numeric item identification. GS1 DataBar Expanded variations: 74 numeric or 41 alphabetic characters. | Can store the following data: Alphanumeric data: Up to 4,296 characters. Binary/Byte data: Up to 2,953 bytes. Kanji/Special characters: Up to 1,817 characters. |
| Size efficiency | They have size variations depending on the version. They are ideal for fresh produce, retail, and logistics. | The more data a QR code holds, the larger it gets. Using uppercase letters can make it smaller. QR codes have four error correction levels—low (7%), medium (15%), quartile (25%), and high (30%)—which allow different amounts of damage recovery. Higher damage resilience level makes the QR code larger and more complex, which may affect printing quality. |
| Traceability | Generally contains GTIN, and some variants (like Stacked and Extended DataBar) are particularly suited for encoding this rich, variable data (like batch numbers, weights, and dates) because they have a higher data capacity. | It carries everything a DataBar can, but it can also store much more: product certifications, dimensions, storage conditions like temperature, and links to detailed documents or webpages.
If product details match GS1 Application Identifiers (AI), they can be included in the QR code. |
Why Are Businesses Transitioning to GS1 QR Codes?
GS1 QR Codes offer improved flexibility, higher data capacity, and the ability to track product information when scanned, making them the preferred choice for industries aiming for smart labeling and enhanced traceability.
Unlike traditional barcodes, GS1 QR Codes support digital experiences and can help deliver product information on scan.
Which one to choose?
Comparing QR codes and DataBars is essential because they differ in scanning methods, data capacity, and industry applications. Businesses can choose a suitable barcode for their operation by considering needs and adaptability.
Compared to QR codes, DataBars have lower data capacity, scanning limitations, and limited traceability.
Unlike the 1D barcode, QR Codes store more data and enable better traceability. They are driving the Sunrise 2027 initiative because they offer greater data capacity, improved traceability, and enhanced consumer engagement.
Beginning the implementation of 2D barcode technology helps brands enhance their operational efficiency and ensure global compliance with upcoming standards. The transition ensures better inventory management, recall readiness, and digital integration.
If you aim to future-proof your business, benefit from greater data capacity, improved traceability, and consumer engagement, then QR Codes are worth considering.
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