How to Increase Customer Engagement Using GS1 QR Codes
Before smartphones, brands connected with consumers primarily through labels, product demos, hotlines, and print ads. These methods helped share basic product details or build awareness, but they had limitations.
Labels offered only minimal information, demos were expensive and location‑bound, hotlines required time and effort and print ads couldn’t deliver personalized or real‑time updates. For brands looking at how to increase customer engagement, the labels didn’t work well.
This created a missing link between physical products and digital information. Customers wanted easy access to details such as nutritional facts, certifications, sustainability practices, or brand stories, but brands couldn’t provide it. This limited trust and engagement because the packaging wasn’t linked to verified digital data.
The introduction of GS1 QR codes changed that. By embedding a product’s unique identifier (such as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN)) into a QR code, brands can connect packaging directly to online content.
A single scan gives customers details on marketing, regulations, and sustainability, while giving brands a trusted way to engage and build loyalty.
Table of Contents
- Smartphones and the Rise of QR Codes
- Why Standard QR Codes Have Limitations for Brands and Retailers?
- What Is a GS1 Digital Link QR Code?
- Benefits of Having One Barcode for Product ID and Engagement
- Deciding where your link goes
- Real-World Use Cases of GS1 Digital Link QR code for customer engagement
- Driving Customer Engagement with GS1 Standards
- FAQs
Smartphones and the Rise of QR Codes
In the early 2000s, QR code scanning on mobile phones was not yet common. Customers needed third‑party apps to read them, so adoption was slow and mostly limited to Japan. Despite their potential, QR codes remained a niche tool in marketing campaigns because the technology wasn’t seamless.
Things changed around 2017, when major smartphone manufacturers like Apple and Android integrated QR code readers directly into camera apps. No extra apps were needed, scanning became easy, and QR codes quickly became popular.
The real boom came during the COVID‑19 pandemic. With the need for contactless interactions, QR codes became the preferred choice for retailers and brands worldwide. They made product information easy to access, which led to worldwide adoption.
QR codes powered with GS1 Digital Link now connect physical products to verified digital content. This makes the code readable at checkout, usable across global supply chains, and enhances customer engagement.
Why Do Standard QR Codes Have Limitations for Brands and Retailers?
For many years, standard QR codes were used mainly for basic marketing campaigns. A few manufacturers placed them on packaging to redirect consumers to a brand website or promotional page, but their role stopped there.
The problem was that traditional QR codes had little to no function in the supply chain. Retail scanners and point of sale (POS) systems couldn’t read them because they weren’t linked to globally recognized product identifiers like GTINs. As a result, they couldn’t support inventory management, checkout, or traceability.
QR codes can’t be used for payments in stores. Money goes to the brand that made the QR code, not the retailer, so it doesn’t work for store transactions.
What Is a GS1 Digital Link QR Code?
The GS1 Digital Link QR code or QR code powered by GS1 builds upon global identification standards, such as the GTIN, the global backbone of product identification.
By encoding GS1 ID identifiers into a web‑compatible format, the Digital Link makes it possible for a single QR code to serve multiple purposes (such as product identification, supply chain visibility, checkout, and customer engagement).
The difference between this GS1 code and regular QR code is significant. A standard QR code usually points to a webpage, payment link, or Wi-Fi access, offering flexible functionality.
On the other hand, a GS1 QR code is readable by retail scanners and POS, while also directing consumers to verified digital content. This dual capability means the same code can support both business operations and customer engagement.
The value of linking standardized data to digital experiences is that it builds trust and transparency. Customers can scan a product to get accurate GS1‑verified information, whereas businesses benefit from optimized supply chain processes and stronger brand connections.
Benefits of Having One Barcode for Product ID and Engagement
One of the greatest benefits of QR codes powered by GS1 Digital URI is that they combine customer engagement and product identification into a single symbol. This gives brands and retailers several practical benefits as listed below:
- Cleaner packaging: One QR code replaces multiple barcodes, labels, and tags.
- More design space: With fewer printed elements, brands can highlight stronger visuals and storytelling.
- Detailed product info online: Ingredients, certifications, and sustainability details can be shared digitally. This allows customers to access more details than a printed label allows.
- Facilitates updates: Brands can change product information online without reprinting packaging, saving money and reducing waste.
- Supports label‑free packaging: Examples like bottled water in Korea show how QR codes can replace printed labels, offering a clean look while still giving consumers all the required information.
To explore the dual benefits (product identification and customer engagement), businesses can generate GS1-compliant 2D barcodes themselves by following GS1’s official guidelines. Alternatively, they can rely on trusted third-party tools such as QR Tiger’s GS1 QR code generator.
Deciding where your link goes
When implementing GS1-compliant Digital Link QR codes, the destination you choose is essential for customer engagement. These codes should not simply redirect to a homepage because it rarely holds attention and usually fails to deliver the information customers want. Instead, brands should link to useful content, such as:
- Product pages: Show details like specifications, certifications, or sustainability info.
- Tutorials/guides: Help customers use the products better.
- Offers & programs: Share discounts, loyalty rewards, or promotions to encourage repeat purchases.
- Reviews/testimonials: Provide customer feedback that builds trust and simplifies buying decisions.
The goal is to choose links that help customers learn, decide, or connect with your brand. To maximize results, brands should test different pages to determine which ones get the best engagement.
By checking scan data (like when, where, and how often people scan), businesses can see what works and improve their digital strategy.
Real-World Use Cases of GS1 Digital Link QR code for customer engagement
These real-world use cases across industries show that QR codes powered by GS1 Digital URI are not just marketing tools but also serve as multi‑purpose engagement channels.
They connect physical products to digital experiences, build consumer trust through transparency, and let brands update information without changing packaging.
Jake’s Beverages GmbH
Founded in 2020, Jake’s Beverages GmbH is a fast-growing player in Germany’s convenience drinks market. It supplies major food chains through central warehouses. It aims to become the most digital beverage company in the country. The company uses a smart return system for reusable bottles to cut waste and improve tracking.
Handling reusable bottles across many transactions isn’t easy. Jake’s needed a way to track batches, follow how bottles move, and remove old ones—without changing how they package or produce. The aim was to get better control over returns and make smarter choices about which bottles to reuse or replace.
By embedding GS1 Digital Link QR codes on each bottle, Jake’s unlocked a new level of traceability and customer connection. These codes work even with ceramic screen printing and require no extra investment in production.
They help track bottle batches, monitor returns easily (via resolver services), and connect directly with customers. By scanning, customers can see product info, provide reviews, or get vouchers. These next-generation barcodes help the company sort bottles by batch, count circulation, and plan new purchases based on stock pool insights.
FrieslandCampina
FrieslandCampina, the dairy giant behind the infant nutrition brand Friso, wanted to ensure peace of mind for customers. With their tech partner Kezzler, they launched TrackEasy, a smart packaging solution powered by GS1 Digital Link QR codes.
TrackEasy brings full transparency to the dairy chain. Each Friso can have a unique code that shows real-time details like the farm it came from, the milking date, production steps, and quality checks. Customers can scan the QR code with their phone to see where the product was made, when it was produced, and confirm it’s genuine.
The GS1 Digital Link standard allows encoding necessary product information inside a single QR code; no need for extra barcodes. The codes provide access to deals and reviews as well.
Whether scanned before or after purchase, the code connects parents to the full story behind their product, building trust and loyalty with every interaction.
WheyBetter
Mark Millard, once an overweight child turned sports scientist, set out to reinvent chocolate. His vision was to create bars that taste like traditional chocolate but are healthy and free from added sugar. After years of effort and challenges, WheyBetter was launched in 2023 with a healthier chocolate for families.
The company faced challenges (finding the right ingredients, scaling production, and proving the commitment to manufacturers). With support from GS1, WheyBetter became retail-ready, with barcodes accepted everywhere. This gave Mark the confidence to reach out to big retailers and grow his brand.
Now, WheyBetter is exploring how GS1 Digital Link QR codes can strengthen customer engagement. By scanning a code on the packaging, customers can instantly learn about the bar’s nutritional benefits, its ingredients, and the story behind its creation.
This builds trust and also transforms every bar into a digital touchpoint that connects health-conscious consumers directly with the brand.
A quick scan can unlock recipes, special offers, and the brand’s tips on healthy living. By using GS1 Digital Link, the brand helps customers feel included in the journey toward better, healthier chocolate.
Via Marte
Via Marte, a Brazilian women’s shoe manufacturer founded in 1977, produces over 5.8 million pairs of shoes each year. Their fast design-to-shelf cycle keeps products fresh and competitive but also encounters challenges in managing supply chain logistics. To address this, the brand turned to GS1 standards to improve efficiency and product tracking.
The company first adopted GS1 GTINs in 1996 and later, in 2017, added its full catalogue to GS1 Brazil’s national product database (CNP). Each pair of its shoes currently carries a QR code powered by GS1 Digital URI, containing a GTIN and serial number.
By scanning these codes on packaging, customers can instantly access details such as where the shoes were made, their model, color, material, size, care instructions, and customer support contacts.
The brand Marte even shares a timeline of each shoe’s journey from factory to store. This transparency improves supply chain management, builds trust, and creates a richer, more engaging shopping experience.
Carrefour
Carrefour is one of Europe’s biggest retailers with about 14,000 stores in over 40 countries. It introduced GS1-powered QR codes on its private-label wines. This marks a major step toward greater operational efficiency and transparency, giving consumers easy access to trusted product details while helping the brand improve operations.
These codes connect consumers directly to rich online information, including ingredients, nutrition facts, product origin, recycling and usage instructions, safety details, certifications, promotions, and more.
By scanning these codes, customers enjoy a clearer, more reliable shopping experience, while brands build stronger connections with consumers and manage products more efficiently.
Parla Deli
Parla Deli, a gourmet bakery in Brazil, wanted to cut food waste, manage stock better, and make sure no expired items reached customers. The issues, such as expired items and sudden shortages, often arose when production didn’t match sales.
To address these issues, the store adopted QR codes powered by GS1 Digital URI. With a quick scan, both staff and customers could see accurate product details such as expiry dates and stock availability. This innovation reduced waste, improved inventory management, and ensured a smoother, more reliable shopping experience.
The store shows how these codes can transform everyday products into digital touchpoints. By scanning the code on any item, customers instantly access real‑time details such as ingredients, nutrition information, and even cooking tips, which makes the experience more interactive and transparent.
Beyond information, the code also connects customers directly to the brand’s e‑commerce site, allowing them to reorder products they enjoyed with a single tap.
Driving Customer Engagement with GS1 Standards
In the end, GS1 QR codes offer a simple path on how to improve customer engagement. They help a brand feel closer to the person holding the product. Stories give the item a bit of character. Guides, recipes, and helpful suggestions turn a quick scan into something practical.
There’s also the quiet reassurance that the company cares about its environmental footprint. Shoppers see clear and honest data. They know what they’re buying and why it matters. This sense of transparency builds trust, and trust builds the kind of connection every brand hopes for.
FAQs
1. Do GS1-compliant QR codes support sustainability and recycling efforts?
Yes, GS1-compliant QR codes can give shoppers instant access to recycling instructions, eco‑labels, and environmental impact data. A single scan shows how to dispose of packaging correctly, check sustainability claims, and understand a product’s footprint. This guides consumers toward better choices and responsible recycling.
For businesses, GS1 Digital Link makes it easier to follow environmental rules and support the circular economy. One QR code can share details like product origin, recyclability, and compliance, reducing packaging clutter while ensuring traceability across the supply chain.
2. Can QR codes powered by GS1 Digital URI make shopping in-store easier and more engaging?
They scan quickly at checkout and reduce the chances of failed reads due to their error protection. They also open the door to richer details that help shoppers decide with confidence. Think product facts, simple guides, or even recipes that fit whatever they’re holding.
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