Amazon to expand Transparency anti-counterfeiting program, as it looks to ‘Sunrise 2027’ | 28-10-2025 |

Ahead of an expected global conversion to more advanced barcodes in the next couple years, driven by GS1’s Sunrise 2027 program, Amazon is collaborating with additional packaging partners to highlight the benefits of serialization. One company, USA-based Menasha Packaging, announced its  strategic partnership on anti-counterfeiting program Amazon Transparency in September, using the recent Pack Expo in Las Vegas to provide more details about their parrtnership.

Amazon Transparency, which dates back to 2017 enables participating single products or multipacks, to assign unique 2D alphanumeric codes to each unit sold as a way to combat counterfeits. Other benefits for sellers may include getting a higher listing on Amazon, relegating unauthenticated products, it is claimed. This can be especially useful to emerging brands working to build credibility. The codes are scanned by Amazon prior to shipment to ensure authenticity. As of this year, over 88,000 brands  are participating.

“We're creating billions of codes every year,” said Amazon’s Michael Manley, head of implementation and transparency service provider network, at an event at Pack Expo. “There are multiple steps that go into a brand’s participation, including requesting and managing codes, integrating them into existing software platforms and incorporating them in a package’s graphic design”.

“We are pleased to welcome Menasha Packaging to the Transparency Service Provider (TSP) program. Their advanced variable data printing capabilities and comprehensive co-packing services, combined with seamless Transparency API integration, enable brands to protect their products through a simplified, single workflow solution. Menasha’s expertise across multiple packaging formats ensures our mutual customers can implement Transparency efficiently and confidently,” continued Manley.

Menasha sees it as another service it can provide to customers, to act not just as a packaging supplier but a broader solutions provider. The company is part of Menasha Corp, which also owns reusable packaging systems company Orbis.

This latest push comes as the packaging industry plans for the standards organization GS1’s Sunrise 2027 initiative. By the end of that year, businesses are expected to be equipped to handle 2D barcodes, which can hold more data than 1D barcodes. Currently, some brands have to print multiple different types of codes on packaging, each serving a different purpose. “You're trying to make a compelling brand story in a smaller and smaller space, it's just a nightmare,” Manley explained.

Now, the industry can foresee a future in which tracking, anti-counterfeiting or other information could be consolidated into a single code. The technology’s potential could help with everything from recalls to tracking consumer engagement.

Engaging with Amazon Transparency now could set brands up for further progress with serialization, Menasha believes. “The overall goal of Sunrise 2027 is to condense that down to just one,” said the company’s Evan Padilla, design manager, ecommerce and omni channel, during Pack Expo. “There's so many more added benefits on the back end of that,” he added.

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