As part of our whitepaper ‘The vision of 27 marketers and content creators for 2026’, we asked Business Development Strategist Rien van den Bosch for his vision for 2026 and two practical tips he would give to readers. You can read his response below.
Who is Rien van den Bosch?
Rien is a Business Development Strategist at GS1, where he drives innovation and shapes the organisation’s strategic roadmap for the future of commerce. He plays a leading role in transitioning from traditional barcodes to QR codes with Digital Link and spearheads the implementation of the Digital Product Passport (DPP) across multiple industries.
As we move deeper into the digital transformation of product information, 2026 marks a pivotal year for marketers, retailers, and manufacturers. The QR code with GS1 Digital Link continues its rise, but new EU legislation, especially the rollout of the Digital Product Passport (DPP), is reshaping how businesses manage and communicate product data. Combined with the evolution of AI-driven search and machine-readable content, these trends are redefining the rules of engagement in digital commerce.
The QR code powered by GS1 is no longer just a marketing tool, it’s becoming the backbone of product transparency and regulatory compliance. With the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) now in force, sectors such as textiles, electronics, construction and detergents are preparing for mandatory DPPs. These digital passports will contain structured, verifiable data about a product’s origin, composition, environmental impact, and disposal options.
For marketers, this means QR codes must do more than link to promotional content, they must deliver trusted, standardized data that satisfies both consumers and regulators. The GS1 Digital Link standard enables this by embedding identifiers like GTINs, batch numbers, model numbers and expiry dates directly into scannable URLs.
E-commerce platforms are at the forefront of this transformation. As DPPs become mandatory, online retailers must ensure their product listings are not only accurate but also machine-readable. This shift is driving the adoption of structured web vocabularies (e.g., schema.org) and semantic markup to meet compliance and improve discoverability in AI-powered search environments.
The result? Product content is evolving from static descriptions to dynamic, structured data ecosystems. Brands that embrace this change will benefit from improved visibility, reduced compliance risks and enhanced consumer trust.
Search behavior is changing rapidly. In 2026, discovery is no longer confined to traditional search engines. AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI overviews are becoming the default entry points for product research. These systems prioritize structured, authoritative data—making machine-readable content essential for visibility.
Marketers must now optimize not just for SEO, but for AI. This means:
Marketing agencies and content creators must evolve their skillsets. In 2026, success depends on the ability to create content that is:
Training in GS1 standards, semantic markup and AI search optimization will be critical. Agencies that can bridge the gap between regulatory compliance and creative storytelling will be invaluable partners.
Prepare your product content for both regulatory compliance and AI-driven discovery. Use structured data formats like schema.org and GS1 Digital Link to ensure your product pages are machine-readable. This not only helps meet the requirements of the Digital Product Passport (if your business is impacted by this legislation), but also improves visibility in AI-powered search engines. Collaborate with your IT and content teams to embed identifiers and semantic markup into your product pages and landing experiences.
Your QR code strategy should go beyond marketing. Design mobile landing pages that are rich in both consumer-friendly content and structured data. Include legally required information, sustainability details, but also marketing driven information and interactive elements like videos or tutorials. Make sure these pages are optimized for mobile, regularly updated, and accessible to different user groups; from consumers to professionals and regulators. This dual-purpose approach will future-proof your content and maximize engagement.
Would you like to discover the other 26 marketers’ and content creators’ visions for 2026? Download the whitepaper here.
