QR codes on product packaging
By Prabhneet Singh Narula, founder of RelyQr · Updated
Short answer
Brands put QR codes on packaging to open how-to videos, manuals, ingredients, recipes, reorder links and reviews, and increasingly to carry the product's GTIN in a GS1 Digital Link code that also rings up at the till. Because packaging is printed in large runs, use dynamic codes, so the content can change without changing the pack.
What a code on the pack can do
| Code | What shoppers get |
|---|---|
| GS1 Digital Link | A product page; the same code gives tills the GTIN |
| Video | How to use, assemble or cook it |
| The manual, safety sheet or warranty | |
| Form | Warranty registration or feedback |
| Reorders and support in a chat | |
| Google review | A review of your shop |
GS1 Digital Link and Sunrise 2027
A GS1 Digital Link QR code puts the product's GTIN, the number under its barcode, inside a web address like /01/09506000134352. Phones open your product page; tills read the GTIN from the same code. GS1's Sunrise 2027 goal is for retail scanners to read 2D codes like this by the end of 2027, and the EU's Digital Product Passport, starting with batteries, uses the same idea to carry product information. Keep the regular barcode on the pack alongside the QR code while retailers make the move.
Printing on packs
- 2 to 3 cm wide for most packs, and larger on curved surfaces like bottles and cans.
- Keep it off folds, seams and the curve's tightest point.
- Test the printed proof on the real material with several phones, and with your retailer's scanners for GS1 codes.
- Use a dynamic code: the pack is printed once, the content can change for its whole life.
What to measure
- Scans per product and per batch, with one code per line.
- Scans by country and city, to see where products are used.
- Which links on the product page people tap most.
Questions people also ask
What is a GS1 Digital Link QR code?
A QR code holding a web address with the product's GTIN in it, so phones open a product page and tills read the GTIN from the same code.
Will a QR code replace the barcode on my packaging?
Over time, as retailers move to 2D scanning for Sunrise 2027. Until your retailers confirm, keep both on the pack.
How big should a QR code be on packaging?
Usually 2 to 3 cm wide, bigger on curved surfaces; for GS1 codes, follow your sector's GS1 rules.
Can I change what the code opens after the pack is printed?
Yes, with a dynamic or GS1 Digital Link code: the page behind it can change any time.
Make a QR code that lasts forever
Free static codes with your logo and no watermark. Dynamic codes you can change after printing keep working on every plan.