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BEAVERTON, Ore., April 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Digimarc Corporation (NASDAQ: DMRC), a global leader in digital watermarking and product digitization technologies, today announced it will deploy one of the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry's largest global implementations of GS1 Digital Link-enabled 2D barcodes with Unilever.
This rollout will put Unilever at the forefront of the retail industry’s preparation for Sunrise 2027, when 2D barcodes become standard at point-of-sale worldwide. It will also make Unilever one of the first companies to anticipate and adopt the European Union’s Digital Product Passport (DPP) regulation, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and accessibility.
"We are proud to be leading the industry in pioneering how we help democratise access to product information," said Aaron Rajan, Vice President - Consumer Technology, Unilever. "Deploying innovative solutions such as Digimarc Engage means that our unmissably superior brands not only keep pace with technological advancements but also shape the future of retail.
"Unilever’s multi-phased rollout will ultimately integrate 2D barcodes across 45,000 products (SKUs), spanning iconic brands such as Dove, Vaseline, Hellmann’s and Knorr."
2D barcodes, an advanced version of traditional barcodes, can store large amounts of data in a small, scannable and accessible format on packaging. Specifically, 2D barcodes have the potential to connect consumers to key resources online, including details on nutrition, recipes, and usage instructions. By adopting this innovative technology across its packaging, Unilever aims to improve product data accessibility and deliver superior experiences for both retail partners and shoppers. It also enables a future-ready solution to meet regulatory requirements and keep pace with industry shifts.
"Unilever sets a benchmark for the CPG and retail sectors. Beyond revolutionizing point-of-sale processes, these solutions empower brands to foster deeper consumer connections, build loyalty, and unlock transformative data insights in the era of AI-driven decision-making," said Ken Sickles, Chief Product Officer, Digimarc. "This also paves the way to making products truly accessible for everyone."
As a leader in the development of the GS1 Digital Link standard, Digimarc has been instrumental in advancing industry-wide adoption. Digimarc Engage, built on the Illuminate platform, integrates GS1 Digital Link capabilities with dynamic intelligence, enabling brands to create a direct, personalized communication channel with consumers. This innovation supports regulatory initiatives like Europe’s DPP while facilitating industry-wide transformations such as Sunrise 2027.