ISO has released a new standard that GS1 Digital Link is part of. The standard is called ISO/IEC 18975:2024and describes methods for combining globally unique identifiers with URLs, facilitating the link between the physical object and its digital information.
About ISO/IEC 18975:2024
The new ISO standard describes methods for using HTTP Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) to encode and manage unique global identifiers such as GS1 and other identities. It describes a flexible data structure that allows companies to integrate their unique identification systems with the web, facilitating access to product information via standardized URLs.
The standard also introduces a common API that allows information on identified products to be retrieved from different online services.
How GS1 Digital Link works
Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) have been used for many years and work well for identifying products to enable sales for example at the checkout. One of the strengths is that the identities are globally unique and can be scanned without having to rely on, for example, the internet domain name system or any specific computer service. This is important for situations where internet connectivity and availability of online services should not affect the completion of a process, such as purchasing a product.
The need for smarter identities is growing and existing identifiers can also be used in HTTP URIs, for online lookup, data queries and data integration when connectivity is available. Therefore, GS1 developed a new standard called GS1 Digital Link which is already used by many companies. Here, a QR code is used to enable consumer scanning with a mobile phone to get more information about the product such as list of ingredients, how to use the product, certifications etc.
Opportunities for businesses with GS1 Digital Link
GS1 Digital Link is fully compliant with the new standard and allows GS1 identifiers, such as the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), to be represented as URLs, linking physical products to digital information. In practice, this means that companies can use a single QR code with the GS1 Digital Link URI that both identifies the product and links to various relevant data sources on the web.
A QR code with GS1 Digital Link can be read by a scanner without using the internet, just like the traditional EAN barcodes, for example, at checkouts.
By using the next generation of QR codes with GS1 Digital Link, businesses can ensure improved traceability, more efficient information sharing and a more seamless experience for consumers, authorities and business partners.
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