QR codes for data sheets and GS1 Digital Link: what to print
As of · sourced from primary law · not legal advice · Auf Deutsch lesen
This English version was prepared with AI from the German page. No native speaker or lawyer has read it. Found a mistake? Write to office@proofpass.eu.
The short answer
For data sheets and instructions, a QR code with a permanent address is enough. GS1 Digital Link is worth it when your product has a GTIN: the GTIN sits in the link, checkouts and warehouses read the same code as smartphones, and it fits the identifier of the product passport. In both cases the address must stay the same for years.
The most common mistake
The QR code points straight at a PDF or a page on your website. After the next relaunch or the next version it leads nowhere, while the printed labels are still in circulation for years. A short, fixed address that always forwards to the current version is better.
GS1 Digital Link in one paragraph
GS1 Digital Link is a standard (ISO/IEC 18975) that writes a GTIN into a web address, such as “…/01/09012345678901”. A retail scanner reads the GTIN from it, a smartphone opens the product page. “Sunrise 2027” is an industry initiative, not a legal duty.
Size and printing
- Make the code large enough for the surface, larger on rough surfaces
- Set an error correction that tolerates a scratch
- Leave a quiet margin around the code
- Test the code with several phones before printing
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a GTIN for a QR code?
No. A QR code can hold any address. You need a GTIN only if the code should also be read as a trade item number.
What happens to printed codes when the data sheet changes?
Nothing, if the code points to a fixed product address that always serves the current version. That is why your code never points straight at a PDF.
With ProofPass
Every ProofPass product gets a short link whose seven-character code never changes, and with a GTIN a GS1 Digital Link address. Both lead to the current version.
The dashboard and the sign-up form are in German.
Sources
As of 31 October 2026. The legal text in force prevails. This page is not legal advice; sources are given above.