2025 laid the foundation for our ambitions for 2026

The year 2025 was all about acceleration. Data was connected in a smarter way, standards gained more visibility and digitalisation started to create even more value for companies.

Nearly 500 new data providers joined My Product Manager Share in 2025. Today, more than 3,000 data providers and 88 data recipients are active on My Product Manager. This confirms that companies want to use their product data in a better, more complete and above all smarter way. 
Our renewed data quality programme played a key role in this. Thanks to the first free audits per product, companies were encouraged to invest in high-quality data. To further support this quality, My Data Capture helped almost 200 companies to capture correct product data quickly and efficiently.

The Next Generation Barcodes also made strong progress in 2025. Early adopters such as Filliers, Grande Distillerie de Charleroi and Oma Trading are taking the lead in the food sector. In the DIY, garden and pet sector, Varo, Tec7, Agaris and Eltra are doing the same. Together with many other companies, they have all taken the step towards the dynamic QR code Powered by GS1. As a result, more than 300 companies have already created a GS1 Digital Link in My Product Manager. For many, this is a real gamechanger: they can share and update more information without changing the packaging. With this dynamic QR code, they are ready for the future.

With the launch of the new GS1 Partner Portal, we brought solution providers and companies closer together. Because digital progress is only possible when everyone is at the table.

2025 was therefore the year in which the foundation was laid. A strong base on which we will continue to build in 2026.  

In 2026, we strengthen our ambition with one leading principle: efficiently sharing and validating trusted data across the entire supply chain. To make this possible, we continue to use AI to make the customer journey in My Product Manager smarter, smoother and more intuitive.

But digitalisation does not stop within our own environment. That is why, in the coming years, we will focus even more strongly on connecting data platforms, also outside GS1. Collaborations such as the one with Fost Plus enable more efficient data exchange and avoid duplicate data entry, a frustration many companies are happy to leave behind.

In this story, Verified by GS1 is taking on an increasingly central role. As a global platform for trusted identifiers, it helps to quickly and reliably check whether product and company information is correct. In a supply chain where trust is essential, this makes a world of difference.

In addition, we are intensifying our efforts towards public authorities, in collaboration with federations and associations. The principle “one barcode fits all” needs broad support, especially with new legislation on digital labelling on the way. 

Of course, we ensure that our standards remain fully compliant with regulations such as PPWR, EUDR and CSRD. Companies expect us to show the way, especially in a landscape that is changing rapidly.

The Digital Product Passport is one of the most important focus areas. In 2026, we expect the delegated acts for, among others, toys, detergents and the construction sector. Our ambition is clear: to have GS1 standards included in European standards, so that companies are fully supported in their compliance journey.

Together with relevant stakeholders, we are also exploring how barcodes and verification processes can contribute to fraud prevention and increased product safety, especially for imported goods.

In addition, we continue to invest in eCMR, the digital consignment note for international road transport, with the aim of further European standardisation and interoperability with other platforms.

Finally, My Coupon Manager is given a strategic role. We continue to invest in the platform and want to convince more retailers of the added value of high-quality, standardised coupon data. If everything goes according to plan, we will lay the foundation in 2026 for a full ecosystem that will allow the market to launch the very first digital coupon. 

Collaboration remains the common thread throughout everything we do. From federations to associations, and from technology partners to recycling organisations: we share the same ambitions. Through reuse & recycle projects such as GS1 SMART-Box and HolyGrail 2030, we continue to actively contribute to solutions that are both sustainable and efficient.

Collaboration and industry engagement are also a yearly ambition for the GS1 Belgilux Forum. We therefore warmly invite you to the 2026 edition, where we will further present our projects and give our members the opportunity to share perspectives and to network.

GS1 will continue to support you. Because only by working together can we achieve our goals.