QR Standard
GS1 Digital Link: one QR standard for product passports and retail
GS1 Digital Link is the global standard that lets a single QR code do many jobs: scan at the till, look up traceability data, link to instructions and open the EU Digital Product Passport. It is one of the data carriers the European Commission's DPP working groups have aligned on, and one of five identifier schemes permitted under EN 18219.
Where Tracevora stands today. Tracevora currently issues dynamic short-link QR codes (for example https://tracevora.eu/p/<short_code>) that resolve to your passport and can be redirected without reprinting labels. Full GS1 Digital Link URI support, with Application Identifier path syntax such as /01/<GTIN>/10/<batch>, is on our roadmap.
- Dynamic QR codes that resolve to your passport
- Redirect the target without reprinting the label
- Per-SKU, per-batch or per-item granularity (via your own identifiers)
- GS1 Digital Link URI support — on the roadmap
- Aligned with EN 18219 identifier-scheme flexibility
Why GS1 Digital Link matters for DPP
The DPP requires a unique, persistent identifier and a machine-readable data carrier on every product. GS1 identifiers (GTIN, GLN, SSCC) are already used by retailers and regulators worldwide, and GS1 Digital Link expresses them as resolvable URLs. That means one QR following the standard can route to the passport for a consumer, to ASN data for a retailer and to recycling info for a waste operator — all from the same code.
What Tracevora issues today
When you publish a passport, Tracevora generates a dynamic short-link QR code that points at https://tracevora.eu/p/<short_code>. The target of that short link can be changed at any time without reprinting the label. This gives you the practical benefits of a resolver-based QR — editable content, analytics, one code per SKU or batch — while we finish work on native GS1 Digital Link URI encoding.
Putting QR codes on products
Download print-ready QR sheets directly from the Tracevora dashboard. Codes are vectorised and include a quiet zone so they scan reliably across consumer phones and industrial scanners.
GS1 is one of five permitted identifier schemes
GS1 Digital Link is the most widely referenced scheme, but it is not the only one the DPP framework accepts. Under EN 18219, five identifier schemes are permitted: GS1 Digital Link URIs, IEC 61406 Identification Links, W3C Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), RFID / 2D identifiers, and DOIs. You can choose the scheme that best fits your sector, or run more than one in parallel.
Frequently asked questions
- What is GS1 Digital Link?
- GS1 Digital Link is a global standard that encodes a GS1 identifier — such as a GTIN — inside a standard web URL, using Application Identifier path segments like /01/<GTIN>/10/<batch>. A single QR code following this syntax can be read by consumers, retailers and supply chain systems, and resolve to multiple services including the Digital Product Passport.
- Does Tracevora issue GS1 Digital Link URIs today?
- Not yet. Tracevora currently issues dynamic short-link QR codes of the form https://tracevora.eu/p/<short_code> that resolve to your passport. Full GS1 Digital Link URI support, with Application Identifier path syntax, is on our roadmap.
- Why does the EU DPP framework reference GS1?
- The European Commission's DPP working groups have highlighted GS1 identifiers and GS1 Digital Link as a recommended data carrier because they are globally unique, already used in retail and supply chain, and resolver-friendly. GS1 Digital Link is one of five identifier schemes permitted under EN 18219.
- Is a GS1 Digital Link QR the same as a regular QR code?
- Visually yes — it is a standard QR code. The difference is the payload: instead of a plain URL, it carries a GS1 Digital Link URI that embeds the product's GTIN and optional batch or serial, which lets a single code drive both retail and DPP use cases.
- Will the QR code break if I update the passport?
- No. The QR resolves to a Tracevora URL you control. You can edit materials, certificates or repair information at any time, and the same printed code keeps working.
Related resources
Ready to issue your first Digital Product Passport?
Tracevora helps EU manufacturers and brands publish ESPR-aligned passports with dynamic QR codes in minutes.