Everything You Buy is About to Change [12:32]

YouTube ^ | July 23, 2026 | The Hustle

[SunkenCiv]

GS1, the non-profit that controls barcode standards for virtually every major retailer on earth, is pushing a first-of-its-kind global transition to 2D barcodes -- and the deadline is 2027. The technical upgrade is straightforward enough. The catch is that until checkout systems catch up, brands have to carry both barcodes simultaneously. That's a packaging redesign problem, a timing problem, and -- because 2D barcodes are essentially live URLs -- a software problem. One that a fast-growing ecosystem of platforms and compliance providers is already lining up to solve. We got into this story by trying to buy a barcode for a card game, and ended up inside an industry that's been hiding in plain sight for 50 years -- and is now getting a very unexpected boom. 

Everything You Buy is About to Change | 12:32 
The Hustle | 293K subscribers | 581,312 views | July 23, 2026

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet
KEYWORDS: barcode; barcodes; gs1; retailing

[SunkenCiv]

YouTube transcript reformatted at textformatter.ai *may* follow.

[SunkenCiv]

...

[Semper Vigilantis]

I fully expect them to come out with an app that you use to scan the barcode to get a price. If you don't install the app on your phone you every trip to the register will be a surprise.
After that they will make the app charge your linked bank account so you scan it, buy it and pay for it all in one app. Prices can be changed on the fly - or per the shopper's political/ecological/DEI score.

[plain talk]

Thanks.

Per the video the updated code will provide more detailed info on the product, e.g. manufacturer, lot#, expir date, serial no, recall info.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

So they are going to QR Codes. Had to happen eventually. QR Codes are everywhere else.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

As far as the transition period, just put both the traditional barcode and the QR code on the package.

[Leaning Right]

> I fully expect them to come out with an app that you use to scan the barcode to get a price. <

Yeah, you’re probably right. I was in a store the other day, and there were no prices on any the items. As in none. Just the bar codes.

Fortunately for me, I was there to buy only a few items. Had I bought quite a few things, yes, there would have been a surprise for me at the check-out.

[Highest Authority]

No price on the item ….. no purchase ….. period!!

[SunkenCiv]

I think the tech will be more durable, cheaper, and more flexible. I’ve already seen it used for phone-scannable coupons in the grocery story here in The Boonies.

BTW, I hate digital coupons. Just mark the price down for a limited time and shuddup. 😁

[SunkenCiv]

• Barcode sidebar: ICE Director Todd Lyons just revealed ICE recently busted the largest gift card fraud scheme EVER -- and that stolen money was being sent DIRECTLY BACK to military units in CHINA [04/16/2026]

[TangoLimaSierra]

Create your own QR code.

https://www.the-qrcode-generator.com/

[discostu]

I never see prices on items anymore. Prices on the shelf sure, but slapping items with stickers is long dead.

[Dan Zachary]

Prices on the shelf sure, but slapping items with stickers is long dead.

Yes. If an item is marked down, take a picture of that shelf price. I cannot tell you how many times something rings up wrong and a picture of the price on the shelf saved me money.

[sopo]

Shouldn’t Jovan Pulitzer be able to help with this ?

[vivenne]

Exactly.