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GS1 Digital Link brings scanning into the 21st century

Connecting customers, consumers and patients to the product information they want and need with just the single click of a barcode.

Today’s consumers are scanning product barcodes with smartphones to learn more about what they want to buy—or what they have just purchased. In healthcare, there is a growing need to access information online about medications and medical devices—by scanning a single barcode. However, there is no seamless way for brands, retailers and healthcare suppliers to communicate with consumers via a barcode scan.

GS1 has found a solution: GS1 Digital Link.

GS1 has defined how its existing identification system can now be used in web applications, meaning that scanning a single barcode can connect a physical product to a wealth of online information about it, supporting different processes of multiple partners and serving multiple needs, all based on GS1 standards with no vendor lock-in.

GS1 Digital Link leverages the power and ubiquity of the web, and data carriers like QR codes. It links a product or shipment to any number of sources of related online information with just one scan - from product details and images to recall status APIs, traceability information, nutritional data, warranty registration, troubleshooting instructions, brand promotions, augmented reality experiences and social media.

This is made possible via resolver services that redirect requests to specific types of related web information. The GS1 resolver is a free, high performance service. All related code is available as free, open source software on GitHub.

Trillions of products, shipments and assets across the world can now be connected to the web providing information to customers, consumers and patients they are looking for with just one single scan of a barcode.

Button: Find out more about GS1 Digital Link.

Contact your local GS1 Member Organisation to explore the potential of GS1 Digital Link for your business.