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QR codes for product packaging

One code on the box, and a page you can update for the life of the print run.

DynamicNever expires
Checking

1. What should the code open?

Type of code
Content type

Scans go here. You can change it any time without reprinting.

2. Make it yours

PatternSquares, dots and the corner eyes
Pattern
Corner frames
Corner centres
ColoursCode, corners and background
Code colour

For PNG, SVG, PDF and EPS. JPG always gets a solid background.

LogoThe Link icon
Logo to show

Shows a link icon for this kind of code. Choose None or your own logo to change it.

FrameA call to action around the code
Frame style
AdvancedError correction and margin

Higher levels survive scratches and smudges but make a denser code.

4 modules
Saved designsReuse a design on your next code

Saved in this browser only. Accounts will keep them across devices.

A QR code on your packaging turns the box, bottle or label into a way in: instructions, ingredients, videos or a reorder page, one scan away. Make it dynamic and the page behind it can change for as long as the product is on shelves, without reprinting a single box. QRfinity’s dynamic codes are free and never expire, so a code printed on ten thousand boxes keeps working.

How to make a packaging QR code

  1. Pick the page. One clear job: setup guide, ingredients, recipes, warranty or reorder.
  2. Paste the link in “Website address” above and keep the code dynamic.
  3. Brand it. Add your colours and logo, and a frame with a call to action such as “Scan for recipes”.
  4. Download for print. Check the scan result at your print width, then download a vector file (SVG, PDF or EPS) for your packaging designer.
The QRfinity generator with a link to a product recipes page in “Website address” and a preview of the scannable code.

What to link to

  • Setup and instructions: a mobile page or video beats a folded leaflet. See the product manual page.
  • Ingredients, allergens and sourcing: more detail than fits on the label, kept up to date.
  • Warranty registration: a short form, with the model already filled in. See warranty registration.
  • Reorder and refills: straight to the product page in your shop or on Amazon.
  • Recycling: how to dispose of each part of the packaging where the buyer lives.

Print tips for packaging

  • Leave the margin. Keep a blank border around the code at least four squares wide. Don’t let folds, seams or die cuts run through it.
  • Mind the finish. Gloss varnish and metallic foils reflect light and make codes harder to read. Print the code on a matte area if you can.
  • Dark on light. Dark code on a light background, with strong contrast. Light codes on dark packaging fail on many phones.
  • Proof it on the real material. Scan a printed sample, under shop lighting, before you approve the run.

The packaging printing guide has a full pre-print checklist.

Your barcode and your QR code

Shops still scan the retail barcode, so your packaging needs both: the UPC or EAN for the till, and the QR code for the customer. You can make the barcode here too, with the free barcode generator. The QR code vs barcode guide explains which does what.

Static or dynamic?

We recommend: dynamic

Choose dynamic. Packaging outlives websites: pages move, products change and campaigns end. A dynamic code lets you point the same printed code somewhere new, and its scan count tells you whether customers use it at all.

Questions people ask

What should a QR code on packaging link to?

Something a buyer wants while holding the product: setup instructions, ingredients and allergens, recipes, a how-to video, recycling information, or a page to reorder. Pick one job per code and say what it is next to the code.

Static or dynamic for packaging?

Dynamic. Packaging is printed in large runs and stays on shelves and in homes for years. A dynamic code lets you change the page it opens without reprinting, and shows how many people scan.

Does a QR code replace the barcode on my packaging?

Not yet. Tills scan the UPC or EAN barcode, so keep it. GS1, which runs barcodes, is working with retailers on tills that read 2D codes too (its “Sunrise 2027” plan), but for now print the barcode and the QR code side by side.

How big should the code be on a box or label?

At least 2 cm wide, and 2.5 to 3 cm if you can spare the space. On curved bottles and cans, keep the code small enough that it sits on a fairly flat area, or place it on a flat part of the label.

Related QR codes

Guides