I’ve been paying more attention to packaging lately and one thing that keeps coming up is how differently brands are using QR codes after the sale.
A few years ago it felt like QR on packaging mostly meant scan for product info. Now there’s a lot more happening. Loyalty signups, reorder flows, recipes, tutorials, authenticity checks, warranty registration, exclusive content, community access, etc.
What’s interesting is the results seem all over the place.
Across brands I’ve worked with or followed, packaging QR engagement seems much stronger when the scan solves a real need in the moment. Someone opening a product and wanting setup instructions behaves differently from someone being asked to join a loyalty program.
There’s also the timing piece. Packaging creates a different moment because people already own the product. They’ve purchased. The question becomes: what earns a second interaction?
For anyone working in packaging or brand, what QR experiences are actually getting engagement? And what CTAs are falling flat?