GS1 Digital Link QR codes for product passports
A digital product passport is only useful if people can open it. GS1 Digital Link is a standard way to put a product's GTIN, and optionally its batch or serial number, into a web address inside a QR code, so one code works for consumers, retailers and systems.
In short
- GS1 Digital Link encodes GS1 identifiers, such as the GTIN, in an ordinary web URL.
- The path follows a fixed pattern: /01/ followed by the GTIN, then optionally /10/ followed by the batch or /21/ followed by the serial number.
- The same QR code can open a passport page for consumers and still identify the product for systems that understand GS1 keys.
- You need a valid GTIN, which normally comes from a GS1 membership in your country.
The problem it solves
Barcodes on products carry a GTIN that only checkout scanners understand. QR codes carry web addresses that phones open, but those addresses usually mean nothing to supply chain systems. GS1 Digital Link combines both: the QR code contains a web address, and the path of that address contains the GS1 identifiers in a standard structure.
How the URL is built
A GS1 Digital Link URL looks like this:
https://passport.example.com/01/09506000134352/10/LOT2405| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
https://passport.example.com | Your domain or your provider's domain (the “resolver”) |
/01/09506000134352 | Application identifier 01 = GTIN, followed by the 14-digit GTIN |
/10/LOT2405 | Application identifier 10 = batch or lot number (optional) |
/21/… | Application identifier 21 = serial number, if you identify single items (optional, instead of or after the batch) |
The numbers 01, 10 and 21 are GS1 application identifiers, the same ones used in GS1-128 barcodes. Because the structure is standard, software can read the GTIN and batch out of the URL without calling your server.
Why it fits digital product passports
- One code, many uses. Consumers open the passport page; retailers and recyclers can read the identifiers; GS1-enabled point-of-sale systems are moving towards scanning 2D codes at checkout.
- Batch-level passports. Adding the batch lets each production run point to its own passport version, which is useful when materials or suppliers change.
- Stable and open. It is an open standard and widely used in pilots for EU passports. The ESPR requires the data carrier and identifiers to follow open standards, and the detailed choice is set in delegated acts and harmonised standards.
What you need
- A valid GTIN per product variant. GTINs are licensed through GS1 member organisations in each country. Numbers bought from unofficial resellers can be rejected by marketplaces and cause conflicts.
- A domain that will stay online. A QR code printed on a product may be scanned for years. Use a domain you control or a provider that guarantees the links.
- Batch numbering if you want batch-level passports.
- A test. Scan the printed code on a real package with several phones before a production run.
Printing tips
- Keep a quiet zone (white margin) around the QR code.
- Do not shrink it below what reliable scanning needs; test the final size on the actual material.
- Print a short human-readable hint next to it, such as “Scan for product information”.
- Avoid URL shorteners that might stop working.
Sources
- GS1 Digital Link standard
- GS1: Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (ESPR), Articles 9–13 on the digital product passport, EUR-Lex
This guide explains EU rules in general terms and is not legal advice. National rules and guidance can add requirements. Check the sources and, for your specific products, ask a lawyer or the competent authority. Last checked 31 October 2026.