Rather than only explaining how the 5940 G printer and Touch Dry® inks can help businesses get ready for GS1 Sunrise 2027, we chose to demonstrate it ourselves—directly on our own packaging.
Why we started: Sunrise 2027 is coming
By January 2027, retail will begin moving away from traditional 1D barcodes and toward GS1 Digital Link-compliant 2D codes. This change is coming, and it won’t be optional. Businesses across the supply chain need proven, dependable solutions—and they need them sooner rather than later.
We have long relied on our own marking and coding equipment on our ink packaging lines. The 5940 G and Touch Dry® inks provide the accuracy and consistency we require in a demanding production setting—just as our customers expect on their own lines. The difference now is simple: we are also printing fully compliant GS1 Digital Link codes.
The complete solution in one scan
Pick up your phone or mobile device and scan the code on the bottle or outer case pack. Instantly, you can access key product details in one place: ink description, expiration date, and batch number. And if you need more, you are just a click away from technical support, reordering through the Markem-Imaje customer portal, or viewing Markem-Imaje Safety Data Sheets.
What customers find most compelling is that they can see the full “print to consumer” journey working in a real production environment.
Our 5940 G printer generates high-quality GS1 Digital Link compliant 2D barcodes built for the durability and clarity required across the supply chain. Markem-Imaje provides a complete range of Touch Dry® inks designed for corrugated cases and trays, as well as many other applications including rigid plastics, films, paperboard, non-woven fabrics, wood, and more. Powering every printed code is the CoLOS® software platform, which handles message management, GS1 data formatting, and traceability across the full supply chain.
So when someone scans the code, they are not only retrieving information—they are interacting with a complete consumer engagement solution that links production data, inventory processes, and end-user content in real time.
One package, one code, and a full GS1 Digital Link solution in action—from the 5940 G printer to CoLOS® to consumer engagement.
From theory to reality: Our own proof point
There is real value in holding a product and seeing the technology being evaluated applied to that exact item. Customers can scan the code, review the print quality on Touch Dry® ink packaging, and observe how GS1 Digital Link codes perform after transport and handling. It becomes a practical, real-world reference they can assess for themselves.
Some customers approach us thinking they only need a printer. In many cases, what they truly need is a complete GS1-compliant solution. By showing the full workflow—5940 G printing with Touch Dry® inks, CoLOS® data control, and consumer engagement—on a single package, we help them understand the broader system and why it matters.
What it takes for Sunrise 2027 compliance
Touch Dry® inks are engineered to perform consistently across changing environments and high-speed operations. Transitioning from 1D codes to GS1 Digital Link 2D barcodes on our own containers using the 5940 G allowed us to fine-tune our codes for optimal readability—so they stay scannable through the demands of shipping and handling. With Touch Dry® inks, the printed codes also remain stable over long periods, including months and even years.
If you are preparing for Sunrise 2027 and rolling out GS1 Digital Link 2D barcodes, these are the essentials:
Reliable printing equipment: The 5940 G with Touch Dry® inks consistently produces high-quality, GS1-compliant codes at production speeds, day after day.
- Intelligent software backbone: CoLOS® brings everything together—managing GS1 data syntax, linking printers to ERP systems, ensuring partners receive the correct information, and formatting every code to GS1 Digital Link requirements.
- Consumer engagement platform: Our consumer engagement solution provides the destination behind each scan—supporting product information delivery, authenticity checks, promotions, or regulatory compliance content that builds confidence with end-user consumers.
The software layer is essential for a successful GS1 Digital Link rollout. CoLOS® ensures each code contains accurate, compliant data at the moment of printing, protects data integrity across the supply chain, and delivers the right information to the right stakeholder—whether that is a retailer managing inventory, a distributor verifying authenticity, or a consumer looking for product details. Without centralized data control, businesses risk non-compliant codes, reduced traceability, and missed opportunities for meaningful consumer engagement.
The customer engagement advantage
When customers scan a GS1 Digital Link code on our packaging and immediately reach product information, that is not a marketing concept—it is the practical consumer engagement future that Sunrise 2027 enables, supported by the 5940 G, Touch Dry® inks, and CoLOS®.
And when they see that same code remain clear, scannable, and accurate after shipping and handling, it proves something important: a complete system—hardware, software, consumables, and consumer engagement—working as one integrated solution.
Ready for Sunrise 2027
The real question is not whether this works—it is when you plan to implement it. Businesses are already putting GS1 Digital Link solutions in place to meet the 2027 deadline. We have a complete solution ready—from printing and data management to consumer engagement. When you are ready to move, we are ready to support you.
Autor: Kristen Goodenough
