Mexico City — As Hot Sale 2026, Mexico’s largest online sales campaign, kicks off with more than 700 brands expected to participate, GS1 Mexico is urging entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses to strengthen their digital infrastructure by adopting e-commerce standards such as the barcode.
Scheduled from May 25 to June 2, the event will offer over 12,000 product or service deals at competitive prices, according to organizers. GS1 Mexico, the business organization that develops and assigns barcodes in the country, says the difference between a lost sale and a satisfied customer lies in the trust and logistical efficiency provided by GS1 standards.
“For GS1 Mexico, massive events like Hot Sale are the ideal opportunity for SMEs and micro-businesses to integrate into e-commerce and capitalize on the opportunities offered by the digital economy,” said Juan Carlos Molina, general director of GS1 Mexico.
Molina noted that the barcode is now an essential requirement for entering major retail chains and online stores such as Amazon and Mercado Libre. It helps automate inventory management, speed up logistics, uniquely identify products, and reduce human errors in picking, packing, and shipping.
Globally, an estimated 6 billion barcodes are scanned daily, and more than 2 million companies use GS1 standards. Molina described the barcode as a passport that allows Mexican entrepreneurs to scale their businesses from a garage to the world’s most important marketplaces. “In this edition, our mission is for every entrepreneur to understand that using GS1 standards is their best marketing strategy and operational shield,” he said.
Molina also highlighted GS1 Mexico’s Infocode app, which lets shoppers scan product barcodes to access verified manufacturer information, including detailed descriptions, images, certifications, and contact data, strengthening transparency and buyer trust.
In 2025, Hot Sale generated total sales of 42.725 billion pesos, with the retail sector accounting for 8 out of 10 sales — double the growth rate of travel and B2C services categories, which together represented 13% of the total, according to the Mexican Online Sales Association (AMVO).
Molina noted that this year will be the last time Hot Sale operates solely with traditional barcodes. Starting in 2027, Mexico and the world will transition to 2D codes or QR codes under the GS1 standard, allowing consumers to access dynamic pricing, ingredients, certifications, regulations, usage recommendations, tutorials, and even sustainability data with a single scan.
He advised shoppers to purchase products from verified marketplaces and digital platforms that guarantee data protection and delivery. “Trust is the currency of the digital economy; by using tools like Infocode and preferring products with verified information, we strengthen a more transparent, professional, and secure e-commerce ecosystem for all Mexicans,” Molina concluded.
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