QR codes on food packaging

What the code should open

• Full ingredient detail, including where each ingredient comes from
• Allergen and dietary information, like vegan, gluten-free or kosher certification details
• Nutrition information beyond the printed panel
• Recipes and serving ideas
• Sourcing stories, farm details and recycling instructions

All of these use a website QR code. Link each product to its own page, so shoppers land on the right information instead of a general site.

The code adds detail; it doesn't replace the label

This is the part to get right. Information the law requires on the pack, such as the ingredients list, allergen declaration, nutrition panel, net quantity and date marking, still has to be printed on the pack. A QR code can add to it, not stand in for it. A few rules allow specific disclosures by QR code, so check the labeling regulations in each market you sell in before you move anything off the pack.

Shoppers with allergies also need to read the label in the aisle, in a hurry, sometimes without a signal. The printed declaration is for them. The code is for people who want more.

Size and placement on the pack

Print the code at least 2 cm (0.8 in) square, larger if the link is long. Put it on a flat panel near the brand story, with a line that says what it opens: Scan for recipes, Scan to see where it's grown. Keep it well apart from the retail barcode so nobody confuses the two.

Cans, bottles and curves

Cans and bottles bend the edges of the code away from the camera, and the smaller the container, the worse it gets. Keep the code compact, use a short URL so the pattern stays simple, and look for flatter spots like the cap, the shoulder or the base. Test on a filled container, not a flat proof. Our page on product packaging covers labels and adhesion in more detail.

Condensation, frost and the cold chain

Chilled and frozen products have a problem dry goods don't: water. A bottle out of the fridge fogs over, and a freezer bag picks up a layer of frost. Both blur the pattern and scatter light.

• Use a film or label stock with a moisture-resistant finish, and choose matte over gloss to cut glare.
• Set error correction to Q or H so droplets over part of the code don't stop it.
• Print near-black on white. A soft brand color that scans fine at room temperature can fail through frost.
• Test straight from the freezer and from a cold shelf, the way shoppers will actually pick it up.

Pull a sample from the production line, chill or freeze it, and scan it with two phones before you sign off the artwork. The size and printing guide has more on contrast and density.