BARCODE-IT BLOG

The Cyber Essentials scheme is updated each year to reflect evolving threats to IT infrastructure and the April 2026 changes are no exception. While the five core controls remain the same, this latest update is less about introducing new concepts and more about tightening expectations, removing ambiguity and ensuring that organisations are consistently applying the controls they already claim to have in place. On paper, the changes may look minor. In practice, they’re likely

For many organisations across manufacturing, distribution and warehousing, their current labelling systems have been in place for over a decade. They are often stable, familiar and deeply embedded into daily operations, which is why they are rarely prioritised for change. However, that is starting to shift. A combination of external pressures and internal limitations are pushing businesses to reassess whether traditional on premise labelling systems are still fit for purpose

The Sunrise 2027 initiative is a global industry move being led by GS1 with the aim that all POS (Points of Sale) and POC (Point of Care) systems will be capable of scanning 2D barcodes by the end of 2027, replacing the simple 1D barcodes we're used to seeing on packaging today. The new QR codes powered by GS1 will become central to how brands share product information, improve traceability and enhance consumer engagement moving forwards, as well as eliminating complex supply

Printing barcode labels with Crystal Reports can feel like trying to write a novel in Excel: technically possible but frustrating and exhausting. If you’ve ever wrestled with barcode labels in Crystal Reports, you know the pain. From installing obscure font packs to battling print driver quirks, the process quickly becomes a test of patience rather than productivity. In this post, we explain why Crystal Reports is not the right tool for barcode label printing and how switchin