The barcode is changing. Retail checkout is moving to 2D barcodes that carry item-level data, and perishable foods are leading the shift. Here's what it means for your products, and how Pro Label is helping producers prepare.
A New Chapter for Pro Label
For more than 30 years, Pro Label has helped fresh produce packers across the U.S., Canada and Mexico label their products simply and reliably. Today, retailers and regulators are asking more of every label: not just what a product is, but when and where it was made, and when it expires.
That's why we're expanding our focus from produce labeling to item-level tagging and traceability for perishable foods, including produce, dairy, meat and seafood, deli and prepared foods, and bakery, along with select industrial applications.
What isn't changing:
- Single Source Accountability for labels, RFID tags and the equipment that applies them
- A family-owned team that installs and services every machine we sell
- Straightforward pricing with no lengthy contracts and no volume requirements
What Is GS1 Sunrise 2027?
For more than 50 years, the UPC has identified products at checkout with a single number, the GTIN. GS1 Sunrise 2027 is the industry's goal for retail point-of-sale systems to read 2D barcodes, GS1 DataMatrix and QR codes with GS1 Digital Link, by the end of 2027.
A 2D barcode can carry the GTIN plus the data that gives retailers item-level visibility:
- Lot or batch number
- Expiration or best-before date
- A link to product, origin and recall information
Three Things Every Perishable Producer Should Know
- The UPC isn't disappearing overnight. Products will carry both codes during the transition, so there's time to plan.
- Sunrise is an industry initiative, not a government mandate. Retailers are driving adoption. Walmart aims to cut its operational food waste 50% by 2030, and Kroger requires traceability records for every food product it receives.
- FSMA 204 follows close behind. The FDA Food Traceability Rule requires lot-level traceability records for high-risk foods by July 20, 2028, built on the same data.
Questions to Start Asking Now
Getting Sunrise-ready starts with understanding where your operation stands today. Ask your team:
Can our current labels carry lot and expiration data, or are they printed before that data exists?
Which of our products, and which of our retail customers, will move first?
Where in our process should item-level data be added?
How does this fit with our FSMA 204 traceability plan?
Get Sunrise-Ready with Pro Label
Have questions now? Request a free Sunrise-Ready Check and we'll review how you label today and what your retail customers are likely to require next. Or join the Sunrise-Ready series to get each update as it's published.