The physical entry point to a Digital Product Passport is almost always a QR code. But not just any QR — in the DPP world, the GS1 Digital Link standard defines the structure of the URL behind the QR, embedding the product's unique identifier in a web address and routing from there to the right content.
What is GS1 Digital Link?
GS1 Digital Link (the 1.6.0 syntax) is a standardised way to encode GS1 identifiers (such as the GTIN — Global Trade Item Number) into a web URL. In place of the classic, "dumb" GS1 barcode, a single scan of one QR code serves:
- the checkout (POS),
- the consumer content,
- the authority/certifier view,
- the logistics data.
What does a DPP URL look like?
A GS1 Digital Link URL places the product's identifiers into path segments:
https://demo.readypass.eu/01/{GTIN}/21/{serial}where:
01= the application identifier for the GTIN,21= the application identifier for the serial number (the unique instance identifier).
The QR therefore identifies both the model and the specific item at once — which is essential for the battery passport (instance-level, dynamic data).
The role of the resolver
The resolver is the service that decides what content to serve behind a scanned identifier, and to whom. On the basis of content negotiation:
- from a browser → human-readable HTML (at the depth appropriate to the persona),
- from a machine (
Accept: application/json) → the structured, machine-authenticated data (e.g. a W3C VC).
Why is this better than a plain link?
- Standardised and interoperable: the GS1 identifier is globally unique; the QR can be interpreted worldwide.
- One code, many destinations: no need for a separate QR for the consumer and the authority.
- Future-proof: it fits the retail and supply-chain ecosystem.
What to watch out for in practice
- QR per ISO/IEC 18004 (and optionally DataMatrix) — at printable quality (see ISO/IEC 15415).
- A readable URL alias for demos and communication, alongside the long identifier.
- Label design: brand + model + GTIN + serial number + QR on a single printable sheet (e.g. Zebra style).
- Access segmentation: behind the resolver, the persona projection decides who sees what.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need GS1 membership for a GTIN?
For a live product, yes — you obtain the GTIN through GS1. In a demo, use a fictitious, unregistered identifier.
Can I use my existing barcode?
GS1 Digital Link is designed precisely to unite the barcode and the digital content; migration can be planned gradually.
Does the QR serve static or dynamic data?
The QR always points to the same identifier; the content behind it (e.g. SOH) can be updated at the resolver.
The QR is only the gateway — the content is what matters. ReadyPass generates a GS1 Digital Link URI and a printable QR label for every issued DPP, with access-based views.
Sources: GS1 Digital Link URI Syntax 1.6.0; ISO/IEC 18004; ISO/IEC 15459.
