This is the part of GS1 that sounds abstract and is not. A normal QR code goes to one place. A GS1 code can hold several destinations at once, each labelled with what it is for, and whoever scans it gets the one they asked for.
How it decides
- A phone camera asks for nothing in particular, so it goes to the default.
- An app that asks for a specific type gets that one.
- Anything else gets the default.
Exactly one link is the default, and it is the one a shopper will see. Everything else is there for apps and partners who know to ask.
The types worth using
Most products
- Product informationThe main page. This is what a phone opens, and it is almost always the default.
- InstructionsHow to use it, assemble it or care for it.
- Where to buyYour own shop, or stockists.
Food and drink
- AllergensAllergen declarations, which some apps look for by name.
- NutritionNutritional facts.
- RecipesIdeas for using the product.
Compliance and trust
- SafetyWarnings and safety information.
- Recall statusWhether this batch has been recalled. A retailer's system can check this before it sells.
- SustainabilitySourcing, footprint, recycling.
Links for one batch only
A link can be scoped to a single batch. If a code carrying that batch is scanned, it uses the batch link; if there is no batch link, it falls back to the product's own. That means you never have to register a link per batch, only for the batch that needs saying something different.
Tip. This is how a recall works in practice: add a recall link for the affected batch only, and every other batch carries on as normal.
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