Consumer expectations for food health and safety are rising, while tolerance for error is shrinking. Recalls, allergen incidents, and contamination events now carry immediate public health implications, long-term reputational damage, and even criminal charges. As a result, retailers and manufacturers are under increasing pressure to execute fast, accurate product recalls – removing contaminated products from the supply chain before they reach consumers’ hands.
With increasingly lean supply chains leaving little room to investigate problems once products are in transit, traditional paper-based food safety models – relying on static labels and manual audits – are too slow and cumbersome.
As Rachael Satchwell, Global Food Sector Manager, Domino Printing Sciences, explains, when implemented effectively, 2D codes powered by GS1 can enhance supply chain transparency – delivering the real-time visibility needed to transform food safety from reactive investigation to proactive prevention.
Why food recalls are rising
Despite investment in traceability and compliance, food recalls are on the rise not necessarily because food quality has declined, but because detection capabilities and regulatory scrutiny have increased. Greater awareness of the health impact of food ingredients, particularly on vulnerable groups, has led to stricter labeling requirements and lower tolerance for error. As a result, issues such as incorrect or missing allergen information now prompt immediate recalls, alongside more traditional causes such as contamination with pathogens like Listeria or Salmonella, or manufacturing faults in which plastic or metal is found in the product.
For manufacturers operating under intense margin pressure, the implications of a food recall can be devastating. In addition to the costs associated with product loss and reputational damage, the investigation process is resource-intensive and often disruptive to production.
Once products are downstream and have already reached retailers’ shelves, the issue is compounded, affecting the retailer–supplier relationship and putting pressure on retail businesses facing extended legal, health, and operational accountability. Recalls undermine consumer confidence, and a single incident can have long-term ramifications for trust and engagement.
The traditional manual models used for food traceability and safety are blunt tools that simply cannot respond fast enough to support today’s just-in-time logistics models. Manufacturers still relying on paper audits, static labels, and manual investigations are too often compelled to undertake wide-scale recalls, even if only a small batch is contaminated or mislabeled. Without the depth of specific information and speed of retrieval required to identify affected products, act quickly, and minimize exposure, the cost and reputational implications for both manufacturers and retailers are significant.
Building safety in: How 2D codes minimize errors at source
2D codes powered by GS1 are quickly changing the landscape for food producers and retailers. Unlike traditional linear barcodes that carry a single piece of information, 2D barcodes act as smart, connected gateways that link each individual product and batch to live, structured data. Even more compelling from a food safety perspective is that information can be accessed differently depending on product location and the role of the individual scanning the code, extending the remit of food safety information all the way through the supply chain from manufacture to post-purchase.
For manufacturers, the use of 2D codes embeds safety within existing production processes. 2D codes that enable access to batch-level information can be automatically scanned at goods-in and during manufacturing, supporting increasingly robust fault-detection processes. Earlier and more frequent checks ensure issues can be highlighted, assessed, and isolated upstream before products even leave the factory. In addition to reducing the risk of products arriving at retail outlets or, even worse, into consumer hands, continuous verification improves the timeliness of error identification, minimizing the volume of affected products.
Improved data accuracy delivers the robust audit trail required in an era of heightened safety awareness. Automated verification limits the company’s exposure to contamination and production error, minimizing both costly disruption and product waste – while also giving manufacturers and brand owners greater confidence in the integrity of their data, reinforcing consumer trust and protecting brand reputation.
Enhancing point-of-sale compliance through connected packaging
Even with improved manufacturing controls to reduce product recalls, retailers continue to face routine risks around out-of-date products and real-time recall management. 2D codes powered by GS1 offer a new safeguard, for example, to ensure any expired product scanned at the point of sale is immediately flagged as unfit for consumption, preventing accidental sale. The same process can be used if a product recall has been made; flagging the product during the point-of-sale scan will improve legal compliance and reduce consumer risk.
2D codes that carry or link to batch-level information ensure that only affected products are removed from sale, rather than entire product ranges. This precise traceability significantly reduces the time-consuming burden for retailers to manually take products off the shelf and handle the disposal or return to the manufacturer. Retailers can also leverage the capabilities enabled by 2D codes – including access to richer, more detailed information at the on-shelf stage – to become far more sophisticated about product discounting ahead of expiration dates. Early incremental reductions can minimize the chance of being left with unsold goods, cutting both product waste and the expense of waste disposal.
The dynamic data held within 2D codes also provides brands and retailers with a new opportunity to build consumer engagement by providing timely, specific, and easy-to-understand health and safety information during the shopping experience.
Strengthening consumer trust post-purchase
Pre-purchase consumer engagement can be extended to the post-purchase consumer experience. Vulnerable consumers are protected throughout the product usage period with allergen information updated in line with evolving regulations. Consumers can check product recycling requirements, supporting better environmental outcomes. Critically, if a product recall is necessary, the dynamic nature of 2D code information can reassure consumers that their specific product is affected, reducing panic and avoiding unnecessary blanket returns.
By extending consumer insight post-purchase, brands can build greater trust. In addition to obligatory regulatory information regarding allergens and recycling, brands can add information to enhance overall consumer safety. Guidance on safe storage – such as refrigeration requirements or recommended freezer duration – can also strengthen consumer engagement and trust. Critically, information is specific. With the transparency enabled by 2D codes, brands can move away from generic messaging towards a more personalized, safety-centric approach that is not just product- but batch-specific.
A smarter future for food supply chain transparency
Food safety is no longer just about proving what went wrong after the event. With a single code that enables granular insight for manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, 2D codes powered by GS1 can transform how food safety is managed from creation to disposal. For manufacturers, enhanced traceability minimizes the risk of product recalls and limits recalls to specific batches. For retailers, dynamic codes can reduce the risk of selling expired goods and enable intelligent discounting to reduce waste. For consumers, 2D codes provide a foundation for tailored health and safety information, improving understanding and engagement.
By creating a shared, real-time view of accurate product data, 2D codes build confidence at every point where decisions are made – from factory floor to point of sale to the consumer’s home – embedding trust across the food system while improving traceability, safety, and sustainability