- 57 per cent of respondents reported moderate to severe disruption to pharmacy services and workflows
- 64 per cent received medicines without barcodes in the previous month
- 46 per cent received medicines with unscannable barcodes
- 73 per cent use dispensing robots, highlighting the growing reliance on barcode-enabled pharmacy systems
London, 10 August: A new GS1 UK survey suggests that missing, inaccurate and unscannable medicine barcodes on medicines packaging are disrupting pharmacy workflows and limiting the benefits of digital and automated medicines management systems across the NHS. The survey found that 57 per cent of responding secondary care organisations reported a moderate to severe impact on day-to-day pharmacy services and operational workflows linked to barcode related issues.
The survey was conducted between March and April 2026 and included responses from 44 secondary care organisations across the UK, including acute NHS trusts, mental health providers and specialist services. The majority of responses came from organisations in England.
The findings reveal that barcode related issues are already creating challenges for day-to-day pharmacy operations. Almost two-thirds of respondents said they had received medicines without barcodes in the previous month, while nearly half reported receiving medicines with unscannable barcodes. A quarter reported receiving medicines with incorrect or mismatched barcodes.
As NHS organisations continue to invest in digital pharmacy systems, automated dispensing and closed-loop medicines management, reliable barcode data is becoming increasingly important. The survey found that 73 per cent of respondents use dispensing robots, highlighting the growing reliance on barcode-enabled technologies. However, inconsistent use of standards, alongside missing, inaccurate and unscannable barcodes on medicines packaging is creating additional manual work and reducing the efficiencies these systems are designed to deliver.
Qualitative responses highlighted three recurring themes: patient safety risks where staff are required to rely on manual workarounds, operational inefficiencies affecting robotic dispensing and stock management, and barriers to implementing end-to-end closed-loop medicines management. Organisations using dispensing robots reported greater impact, reflecting their reliance on barcode functionality.
Amna Khan, Amna Khan-Patel, senior healthcare engagement manager at GS1 UK, said: “Reliable barcodes are essential for safe and efficient medicines management. Our survey shows that missing, inaccurate and unscannable barcodes on medicines packaging are increasing manual work for NHS pharmacy teams and reducing the benefits that digital and automated systems are designed to deliver.
“As future medicines packaging requirements are considered, it will be important to maintain a consistent approach to barcode standards and their implementation. Including a 2D DataMatrix barcode containing the GTIN, batch number and expiry date would help support patient safety, medicines traceability and interoperability across the healthcare system.”
Iain Davidson, chief pharmacist at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We've invested heavily in digital pharmacy systems that help improve efficiency, medicines traceability and patient safety. Those systems depend on reliable barcode data. When barcodes are missing, inaccurate or cannot be scanned, pharmacy teams are forced to introduce manual workarounds, which adds time and complexity to routine processes. Consistent use of 2D DataMatrix barcodes would help NHS organisations make better use of the systems already in place and support safer, more efficient medicines management.”
The findings come as policymakers, healthcare providers and the pharmaceutical industry consider the future of medicines packaging requirements in the UK. Under arrangements introduced following the Windsor Framework, the use of 2D DataMatrix barcodes on medicines supplied to the UK market became optional from 1 January 2025. The survey findings suggest that growing variation in the use of these barcodes is creating challenges for some NHS pharmacy services.
The report concludes that a coordinated approach is needed to protect patient safety, maintain medicines traceability and support the continued adoption of digital medicines systems across the NHS. It highlights the importance of consistent barcode standards and high-quality product data in supporting modern medicines management. GS1 UK is calling for continued industry collaboration on barcode standards and greater reporting of barcode and data quality issues to help build a clearer understanding of the challenges facing pharmacy services.
The full report, The impact of missing and inaccurate barcodes on NHS pharmacy services, is available from GS1 UK.
Notes to editors
For further information or requests for interviews, please contact:
- Max Fairhurst, max.fairhurst@redbrickroad.com, 07799 739438
- Alex Cox, alexander.cox@gs1uk.org, 07464946769
About the research
GS1 UK conducted a voluntary survey between March and April 2026 to understand the impact of missing, inaccurate and unscannable medicine barcodes on secondary care organisations across the UK.
The survey received 48 responses in total. Four responses were excluded from the analysis because they were not from secondary care organisations. The findings in this report are therefore based on 44 anonymous responses from secondary care organisations, primarily acute NHS trusts, with additional responses from mental health and specialist services.
About GS1 UK
Whether online, in store or in a hospital, the common language of GS1 global standards is helping our community of more than 60,000 organisations across the UK to uniquely identify, describe and track anything, creating greater trust in data for everyone. From product barcodes to patient wristbands, GS1 standards have been transforming the way we work and live for 50 years. We are now embarking on the next 50 years of industry transformation delivered through QR codes powered by GS1.