Use case
QR codes on product packaging: what to link and how to print it
The short answer
A QR code on product packaging should be dynamic, at least 2 cm (0.8 inches) wide, and sit on a flat, plain area of the pack. Dynamic matters more on packaging than anywhere else, because a print run lasts months and the boxes stay in homes for years after that. You can change what the code opens without touching a single box.
Below is what to link to, how to print it so it scans, and how to use one code across a whole product range.
Give people a reason to scan
A code with no label on a box gets ignored. A code that promises something gets scanned. Put a few words next to it, or in the frame, that say what happens. Some that work:
How to use it
A setup video or instructions, often the most scanned link on a pack.
Recipes and ideas
For food and drink, the reason to scan again next week.
Register and warranty
Fewer support emails when the form is one scan away.
Reorder
A direct link to buy again, long after the box is empty.
Why the code has to be dynamic
You print thousands of boxes at once. In that time the instructions page moves, the campaign ends, or the shop changes platform. With a static code, all of those boxes now open the wrong page and the only fix is a reprint. With a dynamic code, you change the link once in the dashboard and every box follows.
You can also schedule changes ahead, so a seasonal recipe page goes live on the first of the month without anyone remembering to do it.
Print it so it scans on a real pack
Packaging is harder than paper. Watch for these:
- Size: 2 cm (0.8 inches) is a sensible minimum for something held in the hand. Bigger is safer on small, dense codes.
- Curves: on a bottle or can, keep the code small relative to the curve, or run it along the flat height of the pack, so it does not bend out of view.
- Gloss and foil: shiny surfaces reflect light into the camera. Print the code on a matte area, never on metallic ink.
- Contrast: dark squares on a light background. Brand colours are fine if the live scan meter stays green.
- Quiet zone: keep the empty border around the code clear of text and pattern.
Send files the printer can use
Packaging printers want vector files. Download an SVG, PDF or EPS so the code stays sharp at any size and the squares land exactly on the press. A PNG blown up for print gets soft edges, and soft edges cost scans.
One product, many markets
A pack sold in several countries can carry one code. Smart rules send scans to a different page by country or by the phone's language, so a box in Germany opens German instructions and the same box in Spain opens Spanish ones. One artwork, one code, every market.
Make one code per product line, not one for the whole range, and name them clearly. Then the scan numbers show which products people actually engage with after they buy.
Questions
What is the smallest QR code I can put on packaging?
Around 2 cm (0.8 inches) wide is a safe minimum for a code held in the hand. A short link makes the code less dense, which helps it read at small sizes.
Can a QR code be printed on a curved bottle?
Yes, but keep it small compared to the curve, or run it along the flat height of the bottle, so the whole code faces the camera.
Can I change where the packaging code goes after printing?
Yes, if it is dynamic. The box holds a short link, and you change its destination in the dashboard.
Can one code show different pages in different countries?
Yes. A smart rule on a dynamic code sends scans to a different page by country or by phone language.