Deadline looms for UK folding carton converters to prepare for landmark sector change

UK Folding Carton Digital Readiness Index 2026 is the first independent benchmark of its kind and supports the move to 2D codes on packs; submissions close on 10 July.

Folding carton converters across the UK and Ireland are running out of time to have their voice heard and prepare for Sunrise 2027, a once-in-a-generation technology shift that promises to disrupt the market and leave those ill-prepared trailing behind their competitors.

This is as submissions to theUK Folding Carton Digital Readiness Index 2026 benchmark survey close on Friday 10 July.

Sunrise 2027 is a global retail initiative led by GS1 that will see 2D barcodes become the norm at the point of sale from Q4 2027 onwards.

The implications go far beyond a simple barcode format change. Variable data capability, MIS integration, run length flexibility, and digital print capability all come into play. The pressure is growing on folding carton converters to understand and respond to the transition; yet there is currently no independent means for folding carton converters to assess how prepared they are or understand how ready the sector is as a whole.

The UK Folding Carton Digital Readiness Index 2026 changes this as the first independent benchmark of its kind. The benchmark survey gives the UK folding carton sector its first clear, honest picture of where the industry actually stands on the move to digital production print, variable data workflows, and GS1-compliant 2D barcode implementation.

The survey takes no more than five minutes to complete and all individual responses remain fully anonymous in the published findings.

The deadline for folding carton convertors to participate in the UK Folding Carton Digital Readiness Index 2026 is 10 July.

The UK Folding Carton Digital Readiness Index 2026 is being coordinated and prepared by Think B2B Marketing, Europe’s largest dedicated print and packaging agency, on behalf of Jet Tech Group and Fujifilm UK.

Folding cartons is a sector in generally good health. Demand is strong, the market is evolving, and converters are as capable as they have ever been.

But no business can plan confidently on the back of uncertainty, and right now there is a lot of uncertainty about what GS1 Sunrise 2027 actually means at an operational level. The benchmark exists to replace that uncertainty with something the whole sector can work from.

Steve Andrew, Managing Director at Jet Tech Group.

The results of the benchmark will be presented at The Next Frontier on 14 July at the Fujifilm Innovation Centre in Luton.

The event brings together leading specialists for a day of insight, practical guidance and honest industry conversation about what the shift to digital and 2D code production means for folding carton businesses. Morning and afternoon sessions are available, places are limited, and attendance is free. This event will also see the UK debut of the Fujifilm Revoria PC2120.

When we share the results on 14 July, we want the room to recognise itself in the data. That only happens if the sector has shown up: large converters and small ones, those well advanced on the digital journey and those just starting to ask the questions. The more voices in this, the more honest and useful the picture becomes for everyone.

Converters should complete the five-minute UK Folding Carton Digital Readiness Index 2026 survey now at https://form.typeform.com/to/uvnQfC9b

Registration for The Next Frontier is free and available at https://jettechgroup.co.uk/tnfp26