When Data Creates Trust: The Quality Infrastructure Behind Codes and Digital Product Passports
- Dr. Ulrich Harmes-Liedtke
- Sep 22
- 7 min read
The Challenge and Promise of QI Interoperability
Digital transformation is affecting all aspects of quality infrastructure (QI), introducing data-driven approaches that increase the visibility and reach of standardisation, metrology, accreditation, and conformity assessment processes.
Recent advances in digital calibration certificates (DCC), remote auditing, machine-readable standards, and eAttestation are intended to enhance efficiency, transparency, and confidence in QI processes. Nonetheless, significant challenges persist, particularly regarding the interoperability of digital systems both within individual QI domains and across national and international boundaries. Achieving seamless data exchange and harmonised frameworks remains a work in progress.
Public-private partnerships, such as Germany’s QI-Digital initiative, represent efforts to create more interoperable digital QI ecosystems. These focus not only on technical infrastructure but also on data security, legal requirements, and transparent governance for data-sharing environments like Quality-X and the European Metrology Cloud. [1] While these models set reference points, the complexity of integrating diverse actors and legacy systems must be acknowledged. The development of decentralised identifiers and verifiable credentials—for example, in the Quality-X context—points to future possibilities for secure, standardised data exchange, though international adoption and harmonisation are still evolving. [2]
To maximise positive outcomes, QI stakeholders are encouraged to embed the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) in data management, ensuring that information from standards, certification, testing, and metrology is more discoverable and usable. Adopting these principles requires concerted effort, investment, and ongoing dialogue among standard setters, regulators, and technology providers, especially regarding the alignment of legal frameworks and intellectual property considerations. [3]
Barcodes and their Link to the Quality Infrastructure
The historical and ongoing relevance of barcodes illustrates how standardised data carriers underpin global commerce. Since their rise to prominence in the 1970s, standardised codes such as the UPC and later the globally unique GS1 identifiers have played a key role in product tracking, inventory management, and retail automation. Estimates suggest that barcode scans globally are on par with daily Google searches, highlighting the technical reach and pervasive use of these systems. [4]
Today, over 10 billion barcodes are scanned worldwide, supporting retail, supply chain, healthcare and logistics operations on a massive scale. For comparison, Google Search processes between 14 and 16.4 billion daily queries, meaning that barcode scans are nearly equivalent in global volume to Google searches, sometimes approaching or surpassing them depending on the estimate. [5]
At the heart of global supply chains are GS1 barcodes—the most widely used standardised system for unique product identification. GS1 standards and barcodes are designed for reliability, accuracy, and compatibility with information systems worldwide, supporting efficient product tracking, automation, and data sharing across industries. High-quality barcode implementation and verification are essential not only to prevent supply chain friction but also to uphold the credibility of product-related data. Increasingly, GS1 is also aligning its standards with emerging requirements for data interoperability, security, and regulatory compliance.
GS1 maintains a formal, collaborative, and deeply integrated relationship with both ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). Many GS1 standards are officially adopted as ISO/IEC standards, and GS1 actively participates in ISO and IEC technical committees and working groups.
Different institutional arrangements exist for national GS1 organisations around the world.
GS1 Colombia, established in 1988 by leading Colombian companies, is a non-profit organisation and an official member of the global GS1 network. It was set up to improve connectivity, efficiency, and data visibility across sectors in Colombia. The private sector drives its governance structure, with large retailers, manufacturers, industry groups and service companies represented on its board of directors.
STAMEQ, Vietnam's national government standards body, is one example of an organisation hosting the national GS1 body. In other Asian and South American countries, GS1 is administered as an 'instrument of government', often within the Department of Commerce or national standards body. GS1 China, for instance, operates under the China Article Numbering Centre (CAC), which is overseen by the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, a government agency. GS1 Brazil initially functioned under government auspices, but it is now industry-governed; however, collaboration with national standards bodies remains strong. The level of government involvement often reflects a country's regulatory priorities and the stage of development of the GS1 ecosystem.
Examples for GS1 alignment to ISO and IEC standards are adopted and referenced standards like key GS1 identifiers—such as GTIN (Global Trade Item Number), GLN (Global Location Number), and SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code). They are referenced to ISO/IEC 15459 Unique identification and ISO/IEC 6523 which the structure for the identification of organisations and organisation parts [6].
GS1 serves as secretariat for ISO committees related to automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) and has liaison status within other key ISO groups, particularly in regulated sectors such as healthcare and food traceability. As GS1 standards are referenced in formal ISO/IEC documents, governments and regulatory agencies can require ISO-compliant systems with confidence that GS1-based implementations will meet those requirements.
Also, private standard bodies like GLOBALG.A.P. use and integrate GS1 standards—especially GS1 identification systems such as GTINs (for products) and GLNs (for locations)—to enable unique, interoperable identification and enhanced traceability across global supply chains.
GS1’s conformance with ISO/IEC 15459 [6] and its global data standards make its codes a backbone for interoperability between manufacturers, retailers, regulators, and, crucially, QI systems.
GS1 for conformity assessment and accreditation
The Australian and New Zealandian Accreditation Bodies NATA and JAS-ANZ published together with GS1 Australia a discussion paper “Digitalisation of Conformance and Accreditation Processes based on ISO/IEC Global Data Standards” highlighting the urgent need to close the gap between digital product traceability and the digitalisation of conformity and credentialing information within supply chains. As international trade systems modernise, aligning product conformity infrastructure with global data standards—such as GS1 identifiers for products, locations, shipments, and documents—emerges as a critical enabler for interoperability, fraud prevention, and rapid credential verification. The report emphasises that leveraging ISO/IEC-compliant systems like GS1 enables seamless, trustworthy exchange of both product and certification data, fostering greater efficiency, transparency, and resilience in complex global value chains. [7]
GS1 and the Digital Product Passport
The rise of digital product passports (DPP)—mandated under EU sustainability regulations—marks a new era of transparent, verifiable product information available at every step in the value chain. The DPP will require products to carry detailed, standardised digital records about origin, composition, performance, environmental footprint, and regulatory credentials.
The GS1 system distinguishes between 1D (linear) and 2D (matrix) barcodes. 1D barcodes encode data horizontally along a single axis using a series of parallel lines of varying width and spacing. They can be read by traditional laser barcode scanners. 2D barcodes encode data in both horizontal and vertical directions using a pattern of squares, dots or other geometric shapes. This allows for much higher data density and requires imaging scanners (camera-based). They are used for complex applications in areas such as healthcare, e-commerce and product authentication. Modern 2D barcoding includes QR codes, as well as other types of symbols such as GS1 DataMatrix. All of these are standardised for global interoperability within GS1 systems.
GS1 barcodes, especially in their modern 2D and digital forms (such as GS1 Digital Link), are well positioned to serve as entry points to DPP data, enabling secure, granular, and authorised access via QR codes or other carriers. The integration of GS1 standards with technologies like Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and verifiable digital credentials allows for authentication, authorisation, and peer-to-peer communications between manufacturers, authorities, and consumers, all without central intermediaries. [8]
By leveraging structured ISO/IEC 15459 identifiers—such as the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)—together with the web-enabled innovation of ISO/IEC 18975, the Digital Product Passport (DPP) enables a single Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) carrier (like a barcode or QR code) on each product to serve business-to-business (B2B), business-to-government (B2G), and business-to-consumer (B2C) digital information requirements globally. This integration allows for seamless, interoperable access to product data, certification, and lifecycle information, effectively harmonising how products are uniquely identified, verified, and traced across all relevant supply chain, regulatory, and consumer touchpoints at an international level. [9]
Opportunities and Risks for Developing and Emerging Economies
The digital transformation affects industrialised and developing countries alike. For developing and emerging countries, digital QI offers the potential for greater participation in global trade, increased consumer confidence, and optimised conformity assessment. Access to verified data allows small and medium-sized enterprises to showcase the quality and sustainability of their products in international markets.
However, risks include the digital divide, capacity constraints, and the need for harmonisation with global standards, so that all stakeholders, regardless of their resources, can benefit from and securely participate in the new data-driven trust economy.
Building data-driven trust and ensuring the integrity, transparency and resilience of global value chains in an increasingly digital world requires a future-proof, digitally integrated QI ecosystem that is harmonised between national and international players and seamlessly connected to product identification standards such as those of GS1.
Since many companies in developing and emerging countries also use GS1 codes, it makes sense for QI institutions in these countries to generate and test innovative ideas for using QR codes and integrating QI data into digital product passports. Cooperation with the competitive local software industry in many of these countries should also be utilised.
Conclusion
Digital integration in QI and product identification is advancing but remains contingent on continuous collaboration among diverse stakeholders, technical harmonisation, and attention to legal, security, and inclusion challenges. Barcodes, particularly under the GS1 system, illustrate the potential of interoperable standards, but translating these models to new domains such as DPPs and digital QI requires ongoing adaptation and critical reflection.
References
[1] BAM, DAkkS, DIN, DKE, and PTB: Ensuring Quality Smarter with a digital quality infrastructure, https://www.qi-digital.de/en/
[2] PTB, QI-Digital Office (2023): Quality-X: A Federated Digital Ecosystem for the Future Quality Infrastructure, October 2023, https://www.qi-digital.de/fileadmin/user_upload/website/publikationen/1022_Broschüre_Quality-X_v4.pdf
[3] Wilkinson, M., Dumontier, M., Aalbersberg, I. et al. (2016): The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship. Sci Data 3, 160018, https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.18
[4] Harford, T. (2017). Fifty things that made the modern economy. London: Little, Brown.
BBC Audio: https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/p04k0066
[5] Zel: Barcode Statistics: Key Industry Insights to Know, https://digital-link-qr-code.com/barcode-statistics (update June 23, 2025).
[6] GS1 UK: Are GS1 standards ISO compliant?, https://www.gs1uk.org/knowledge-hub/standards/are-gs1-standards-iso-compliant
[7] ISO/IEC 15459-1:2014 Information technology — Automatic identification and data capture techniques — Unique identification. Part 1: Individual transport units https://www.iso.org/standard/54779.html
[8] NATA, JAS-ANZ, & GS1 Australia. (2022). Digitalisation of Conformance and Accreditation Processes based on ISO/IEC Global Data Standards. National Association of Testing Authorities Australia. Available at: https://nata.com.au/files/2022/02/Digitalisation-of-Conformance-and-Accreditation-Processes-based-on-ISO%EF%80%A2IEC-Global-Data-Standards_FINAL.pdf [accessed September 14, 2025].
[9] GS1 Europe (2925) GS1 Standards enabling the EU digital product passport, https://gs1.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/GS1-Standards-Enabling-DPP.pdf
[10] Licciardello, Piergiorgio (2025): DPP interoperability and data management, 20 June 2025, https://unece.org/sites/default/files/2025-07/GS1_DPP_SYMPOSIUM_Final.pdf