Barcode Trends in 2025 and Beyond

Barcodes are increasingly becoming an essential tool across all industries—from retail and logistics to healthcare and manufacturing. They enable efficient data management and are constantly evolving to keep up with emerging technology trends.

Below are the prominent barcode trends in 2025 and strategic innovations for the future, helping businesses prepare to adapt and thrive.

1. Transition from 1D to 2D Barcodes

Today, many businesses are shifting from traditional 1D barcodes (EAN-13, Code 128) to 2D barcodes (QR Code, Data Matrix). The reason is that 1D codes can only store a limited amount of data (a few dozen characters), mainly used to encode simple information like product or employee codes.

In contrast, 2D barcodes can store thousands of characters, support various content types (text, links, contact information...), can be scanned from any direction, offer high security, and are difficult to counterfeit. With the widespread use of smartphones, scanning 2D codes has become convenient, enabling broad application in retail, logistics, healthcare, education, management, and more.

This trend is growing rapidly due to the demand for digitalization, supply chain transparency, and the e-commerce boom.

2. Integrating Barcodes with the Internet of Things (IoT)

Combining barcodes—especially 2D ones like QR Codes—with IoT devices (sensors, smart scanners, etc.) enables automated, accurate tracking of goods and equipment without manual operations.

Example: In a supply chain, each product is assigned a unique barcode linked to a sensor that monitors location, temperature, or humidity. As the goods move through intermediary points, the system automatically scans the code and collects environmental data, allowing businesses to monitor shipping conditions, detect anomalies, and issue early warnings if risks arise.

In smart factories, barcodes attached to devices or materials are integrated with IoT systems to monitor lifecycle usage, maintenance schedules, and operational status—optimizing production and enabling proactive maintenance.

This solution not only enhances management efficiency but also drives comprehensive digital transformation—from manufacturing to end-user consumption.

3. Applying Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Barcode Scanning

AI is being increasingly adopted to improve the accuracy and performance of barcode scanning, particularly in complex environments like factories, warehouses, or high-speed production lines. Instead of relying solely on traditional image processing algorithms, modern scanning systems integrate AI to learn and adapt to various scenarios—such as blurred, scratched, misaligned, curved, or partially covered barcodes.

Deep learning technology enables AI to analyze input images in extreme detail, automatically adjust scan angles, lighting, contrast, and even recover lost barcode segments. As a result, scan success rates significantly improve under all conditions.

The use of AI in barcode scanning not only helps businesses reduce errors, speed up processing, and optimize operations but also paves the way for integration with other smart systems such as IoT, ERP platforms, or automated quality control systems in production and logistics.

4. Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Barcodes

In line with the trend of sustainable development, many businesses are turning to environmentally friendly barcodes—such as those printed with bio-ink, on recycled paper, biodegradable packaging, or using laser-etched markings directly onto products to reduce waste.

Moreover, dynamic QR codes allow updates to information without reprinting, saving materials and reducing emissions. This solution not only protects the environment and saves costs but also enhances brand image and meets ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) standards.

Green barcode practices are being widely adopted in industries like food, pharmaceuticals, logistics, and retail—where sustainability is increasingly important to both consumers and regulatory bodies.

5. Barcode Applications in Specific Industries

Barcodes are being increasingly used due to their ability to automate, speed up processing, and reduce errors in data management:

• Retail: Inventory management, pricing, fast checkout, and customer service—enhancing the shopping experience and operational efficiency.

• Healthcare: Managing medications, equipment, and patient records; ensuring traceability, expiry date checks, accurate prescriptions, and effective treatment tracking.

• Logistics & Transportation: Identifying shipments, real-time tracking of deliveries, minimizing loss, and optimizing the supply chain.

• Manufacturing: Tracking raw materials, controlling production schedules, ensuring quality, maintaining equipment, and tracing product history.

• Other fields:

• Education: Managing libraries and student attendance.

• Finance: Encoding invoices and enabling fast payments.

• Public Administration: Simplifying document tracking and procedures.

With high flexibility and integration capabilities, barcodes are becoming indispensable across most modern industries.

6. Future Predictions for Barcodes Beyond 2025

After 2025, barcodes will evolve beyond simple identification tools to become integral components of the digital ecosystem, thanks to the following standout trends:

• Digital and dynamic barcodes: Enable real-time content updates without reprinting—ideal for e-commerce, logistics, and personalized marketing.

• Integration with AI and Machine Learning: Facilitates fast, accurate scanning in complex environments, analyzes user behavior, and automates data management.

• Blockchain combination: Enhances transparency, prevents counterfeiting, and enables complete product history traceability with a single scan—especially useful in pharmaceuticals, food, and supply chains.

• Invisible and 3D/laser-printed barcodes: Embedded directly into materials, offering high security without affecting design—suitable for electronics, semiconductors, and high-end goods.

In summary, future barcodes will become smarter, more secure, and deeply embedded in digital data systems, contributing to full process optimization from production to consumption.

Conclusion

Barcodes are undergoing a powerful transformation—from simple identification tools to becoming the bridge connecting products, users, and intelligent systems.

From AI and IoT to blockchain and eco-friendly barcodes, these emerging trends offer businesses new opportunities to improve performance, transparency, and traceability. iCheckQR believes that embracing and applying these innovations is the key to successful digital transformation and gaining market leadership.