The transition from 1D barcodes to 2D barcodes allows barcodes to store information on commodities in a more efficient manner. [Photo/WeChat account: hzsscjdglj]
Cangnan, a county in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, wowed spectators at the first Global Digital Trade Expo on Dec 13 for transforming 1D barcodes into 2D ones.
The county was listed as a pilot for the Global Migration to 2D initiative in May, which aims to lead industry sectors around the world through the transition from 1D barcodes to 2D ones by 2027. The transition will allow barcodes contain more information in a more efficient manner, including pictures of the commodity, serial number, brand, digital certificate, and quality inspection results.
With the leading role played by Cangnan, Wenzhou has implemented 2D barcodes for over 15,000 kinds of commodities, spanning from food and produce to industrial products.
For example, milk produced by Inm Dairy, liquor and spirits brewed in Yongjia county, tea planted and processed in Taishun county, and notebook computers manufactured in Longgang city can now all be identified by new 2D barcodes.
Statistics show that since Zhejiang kicked off the trial operation of the GM2D initiative in May, the province's exclusive online platform has accessed 67,000 market entities, checked out bills in 5,226 shopping malls and supermarkets, and realized two-way 2D barcode transactions with 75 countries.
