Only the 2D Barcodes Will Be Accepted at Registers Globally by 2027.

Axios reports that "the humble and familiar barcode will soon be replaced with a more robust and muscular successor that offers far more information about the product inside." The new 2D barcodes, the story says, "will unlock reams of online extras (for consumers) and revolutionize inventory management (for retailers) … Scanning them may tell us the field where something was grown, the factory where a garment was sewn, the sustainability practices of the company that made it — or the washing instructions … Consumers will gain online access to a trove of useful data — everything from ingredients, recipes and potential allergens to promotional offers and information about how to recycle the product."

The technology, Axios writes, "promises to improve product safety, give us greater transparency into the origins of the items we buy, and enhance our lives with handy suggestions about how to use or prepare our purchases.

Stores will be able to respond immediately to product recalls, identifying faulty items and removing them from shelves."

SOURCE: Morning News Beat, Article by Axios