Markem-Imaje launches SaaS platform for GS1 Digital Link transition
Key takeaways
- Markem-Imaje has launched CoLOS 2D Activate and CoLOS 2D Engage SaaS solutions to help manufacturers deploy and manage GS1 Digital Link QR codes.
- The platform supports regulatory compliance, traceability, supply chain visibility, brand protection, and personalized engagement through connected packaging.
- Markem-Imaje is offering consulting services to assess production readiness and help manufacturers prepare for GS1 Sunrise 2027 as well as evolving regulations.
Markem-Imaje has introduced CoLOS 2D Activate and CoLOS 2D Engage Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) software solutions, as well as expert consulting services to help packaging manufacturers prepare for emerging regulations and deploy GS1 Digital Link QR codes.
The solution further responds to the growing significance of packaging as a connected digital communication channel, according to the traceability specialist.
“Our new CoLOS 2D Activate and CoLOS 2D Engage solutions enable brands to transform QR codes from a compliance requirement into powerful digital experiences that deliver real value to consumers,” says Viktor Hermansson, global marketing director at Markem-Imaje.
“With GS1 Digital Link, a single QR code can support retail checkout, supply chain visibility, regulatory transparency, and personalized consumer engagement. Combined with Markem-Imaje’s expert consulting services, manufacturers now have a complete pathway to assess their readiness, implement compliant 2D codes, and unlock the full potential of connected packaging.”
The SaaS enterprise solutions enable global CPG and FMCG brands to create, organize, activate, and manage static and dynamic GS1 Digital Link QR codes, Markem-Imaje outlines.
Markem-Imaje adds that the platform works to support the deployment of compliant 2D codes while allowing manufacturers to collect first-party data. It is intended to aid future digital product initiatives, according to the company.
Alongside the software platform, Markem-Imaje is providing packaging manufacturers with advice from experts on implementation, structured assessment of the production environment, coding processes, and operational readiness. This service also includes a full-day on-site review followed by practical recommendations for identifying gaps, prioritizing investments, and developing a GS1 Digital Link QR code adoption roadmap.
Preparing for GS1
Markem-Imaje explains that, unlike traditional static QR codes, dynamic GS1 Digital Link QR codes can transform packaging into a communication channel between brands and consumers. “Page content can adapt based on location, language, time, or stage of the customer journey.”
“For example, a consumer scanning a product in a retail store may receive promotional offers, while scanning the same product at home can provide recipes, usage instructions, complementary product recommendations, or sustainability information. At the same time, manufacturers can capture valuable scan analytics to better understand consumer engagement.”
Production and product data from CoLOS, ERP systems, CRM platforms, and loyalty or coupon programs through application programming interfaces, can help brands deliver contextual and personalized digital experiences while maintaining a single source of truth for product information, the company outlines.
“CoLOS 2D Activate gives manufacturers full control of GS1 Digital Link QR codes after printing through digital content management, URL destination management, scan data analytics, and enterprise data integration. CoLOS 2D Engage enables marketing teams to design, publish, and manage personalized consumer experiences through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface,” Markem-Imaje details.
“Brands can quickly build mobile landing pages, web forms, contests, gamification campaigns, and multilingual experiences that evolve throughout a product’s life cycle. The platform also provides detailed analytics showing how consumers interact with products across locations and over time.”
Connected packaging initiatives can often achieve engagement rates significantly higher than many traditional digital marketing channels, the company argues.
Beyond consumer engagement, the software platform supports a wide range of business-critical applications, including regulatory compliance, supply chain visibility, traceability, and brand protection.
This capability is said to be growing in importance as manufacturers prepare for evolving requirements, including the European Digital Product Passport, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, the US Food Safety Modernization Act, and regulations in Southeast Asia, and other initiatives that require improved product data accessibility, such as GS1 Sunrise 2027.
