DPP with GS1 Digital Link and QR Codes

What happens when you scan a QR code? Classic barcodes carry only a number, whereas GS1 Digital Link carries a web address — and that difference changes everything for the Digital Product Passport.

What is GS1 Digital Link?

GS1 Digital Link is a standard that turns a product identity (such as a GTIN) into a resolvable URL. For example, a GTIN is embedded in a link like:

Here 01 is the GS1 application identifier for a GTIN. The same structure can carry extra keys such as batch (10) or serial number (21). The EN 18221 standard builds on these unique identity-and-link structures.

Why is it ideal for the passport?

• One URL, many answers: The same link can serve a human arriving from a browser the passport page, and a machine sending Accept: application/ld+json the structured data. This is called "content negotiation."
• Redirection flexibility: The link stays fixed while the target behind it can be updated.
• Global uniqueness: GTIN-based identity works worldwide without collisions.

Relationship to the QR code

A QR code is just a carrier; it encodes the GS1 Digital Link URL inside. So "QR or GS1 Digital Link?" is a mis-framed question — QR is how it is carried, GS1 Digital Link is what is carried. We cover other carrier options (Data Matrix, NFC) in data carriers.

In practice

IDPP resolves public passports over GS1 Digital Link paths (/r/01/...) and serves both an HTML page and JSON-LD. This is fully aligned with the EN 18220 access principles and with the core purpose of the DPP: free, app-free, machine-readable.

Frequently asked questions