Designing a 2D code and reliably detecting an unreadable carton on a moving line are different completion gates. In an October 13 Pack Expo preview interview, marking-equipment vendor Leibinger said industry discussion was shifting from standards and data toward production-line implementation. Its comments about speed, readability and operator intervention were pre-show expectations, not a documented test or performance result for a specific corrugated-carton line.
Our earlier GS1 Digital Link identifier and link-design guide covered what a code might identify and which records it might connect to. This article asks the next operational question: once the printing position and substrate are chosen, how would a real line detect a failed scan, isolate the carton and verify a corrected one?
What the 2027 ambition actually covers
GS1’s 2D Barcodes in Retail test suite, release 1.1 (February 2025) describes an industry ambition for retail point-of-sale (POS) systems to read and process a GTIN from both existing linear and 2D barcodes by the end of 2027. It does not select one 2D format for every industry, nor does it impose a blanket legal deadline to print a new code on every B2B corrugated outer carton. The GS1 US 2D pilots page offers a participation route and a test kit; the page itself does not publish a pass result for a particular outer-carton line.
The procedure below is therefore an editorial proposal for a hypothetical carton-line test, not a claim that any named manufacturer ran or passed it. Actual requirements depend on the customer’s specification, whether the item or logistics unit is identified, the code syntax and the scanner system.
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The boundary of a useful pass record
| Gate | Decide before testing | Record when it fails |
|---|---|---|
| Unit and data | Product, outer carton or logistics unit; expected identifier and syntax | Mismatch between SKU, GTIN and shipping unit |
| Print and placement | Position away from folds, tape and abrasion, allowing for corrugated surface | Smear, damage, displacement and affected lot |
| Read | Expected data reaching the camera/scanner at actual speed and lighting | Timestamp, device, image or error code |
| Isolation | Failed cartons cannot rejoin accepted output | Carton/lot identity, quarantine location and count |
| Rework and recheck | Who authorizes replacement, and whether it is rescanned under the same conditions | Cause, correction, second read and final approver |
A scanner can report a successful read while returning the wrong identifier: compare decoded data against the expected record. GS1’s retail test suite also lists a failure mode where co-located 1D and 2D barcodes yield duplicate GTIN captures as though there were two products. That example comes from retail POS testing; it is not evidence the same failure has occurred on a B2B outer-carton line. It does suggest a question to include if two symbologies coexist.
Making “quarantine the failed item” auditable
- Before running the line, have the buyer, quality team and equipment owner agree in writing on acceptance criteria: successful read, correct data, no unwanted duplicate capture and a hold on release after failure.
- Record sample size, line conditions, camera model/settings and affected lots. This article invents no pass percentage or required scan count.
- Separate failed cartons physically and in the system, assign an approver for reprinting or label replacement, and scan the corrected item again under the same defined conditions before release.
- Check the customer’s actual label specification and test method before commercial shipment. A printed QR-looking image alone does not establish GS1 syntax conformance or customer acceptance.
The transferable sequence is define the data → read under real material and equipment conditions → block failed output → release only with a documented recheck. The sources reviewed here do not establish a completed trial on a named paper-carton line. Use this as a test-plan starting point, and judge adoption by real results and customer approval.
About the Author
PackingMaster is the PaperPackLog editor, covering paper packaging markets, products, and technical questions.