The present invention relates to a barrier coating composition comprising a liquid crystalline polymer, which is characterized in that the liquid crystalline polymer is formed in that a polymerizable liquid crystalline mixture comprising one or more polymerizable mesogenic compounds is first applied onto a substrate and polymerized afterwards, a method of its preparation, its use as well as to devices, preferably displays, food and medical packagings each having at least one barrier coating layer comprising a barrier coating composition of the present invention.