What a packaging QR code should do
The best packaging codes answer a question the customer has right now, holding the product:
| Product | Link to | Frame text |
|---|---|---|
| Food and spices | Recipes using the product | "SCAN FOR RECIPES" |
| Cosmetics and skincare | How-to video, full ingredient list | "SEE HOW TO USE" |
| Electronics and appliances | Manual, setup video, warranty registration | "SET UP IN 2 MINUTES" |
| Furniture and DIY | Assembly video | "WATCH THE ASSEMBLY" |
| Tea, coffee, honey | Origin story, farm, batch details | "MEET THE FARMERS" |
| Consumables | Reorder page or WhatsApp order | "REORDER IN ONE TAP" |
Avoid linking to your home page. A customer who scans a spice packet wants a recipe, not your company history.
Link to a page you control
Packaging stays in kitchens and cupboards for months or years. Use a short address on your own website, such as yourbrand.com/p/garam-masala, and redirect or update it as your site changes. Never print a link from a trial QR service: if it stops, every pack in every shop carries a dead code. Static vs dynamic QR codes explains the risk.
Size and placement
- Minimum size: 2 × 2 cm (0.8 in) for a simple link on a pack held in the hand. Use our size calculator for longer content.
- Flat panels only. On bottles and cans, keep the code small relative to the curve, or place it on the flat label area; curvature distorts the grid.
- Away from folds, seams and crimps. A crease through a corner square can make the code unreadable.
- Keep it separate from the EAN barcode, so checkout scanners don't hit the QR code. See QR code vs barcode.
- Back or side panel is fine, with a call to action on the front ("Recipes inside, scan the back").
Materials and print processes
Packaging printing is less forgiving than office printing:
- Contrast: print dark modules on a light, solid background. On kraft paper or colored packs, print a white patch behind the code.
- No inverted codes. White modules on a dark pack fail on many phones.
- Foil and metallic films reflect light into the camera. Print an opaque white base layer under the code.
- Flexographic printing spreads ink slightly (dot gain). Keep modules at least about 0.4 to 0.5 mm, choose short content and ask your printer for their minimum.
- Supply vector artwork (SVG or PDF) so the code stays sharp at any size, and don't let the designer rescale or recolor it after testing.
Batch and product-specific codes
Some brands give each batch or variant its own code, linking to batch information, harvest dates or lab results. With static codes you can do this by including the batch in the link, for example yourbrand.com/batch/24A17. Our bulk QR code generator makes hundreds of codes from a spreadsheet in one go.
A static code on every pack is identical and can be copied, so a QR code alone doesn't prove a product is genuine. Anti-counterfeiting needs unique serialised codes checked against a database, usually through a specialist provider.
GS1 Digital Link and the future of the checkout
GS1, the organisation behind EAN barcodes, has defined GS1 Digital Link: a QR code whose web address contains the product's GTIN. Under GS1's "Sunrise 2027" programme, retailers are working towards scanning 2D codes at the checkout, so one code can serve both the till and the customer's phone. Until your retailers confirm they can read it, keep the EAN barcode on the pack too.
Test before the print run
- Ask your printer for a physical proof on the real material, not a PDF.
- Scan it with at least two phones, including an older Android, under shop lighting.
- Test the code on the curved or folded pack, not the flat sheet.
- Check the destination page on mobile data, not office WiFi.
- Keep the proof. Our scannability checker gives a score from a photo if you need a second opinion.
Measure what packaging brings
Add a UTM tag to the link (?utm_source=pack&utm_campaign=masala-100g) and your analytics will show visits from each product. Compare products and pack sizes to learn which codes customers actually use, and refresh the destination pages that get the most visits. A page that gets many visits but few reorders or sign-ups is the first one to improve.
Frequently asked questions
How big should a QR code be on packaging?
At least 2 × 2 cm for a short link on a pack held in the hand. Larger for long content or codes read from a shelf.
Can I put a QR code on a curved bottle?
Yes, but keep it small relative to the curve or place it on a flat label area, and test on the real bottle.
Does a QR code replace the barcode on my product?
Not yet. Keep the EAN or UPC barcode for the checkout until your retailers can read GS1 Digital Link QR codes.
What should a packaging QR code link to?
Something useful while holding the product: recipes, instructions, a manual, warranty registration or a reorder page.
Can a QR code protect against counterfeits?
A static code on every pack can be copied, so it can't prove authenticity on its own. That needs unique serialised codes and a verification service.
How do I make different codes for each batch?
Include the batch in the link and use the bulk generator to make one code per batch from a spreadsheet.
What file format should I give my packaging printer?
A vector file: SVG or PDF. Vector codes stay sharp at any size, and the printer can place them on the artwork without resampling. Ask the designer not to recolor, rescale or add effects after you have tested the code.