QR codes to be a part of all packaging by April 2014
Pernod Ricard, a French beverage company, has announced that it will be introducing QR codes to all products packaged in China by next April. The company believes that the codes can provide some benefits to consumers, allowing them to access information concerning the company’s products. The codes will not only be used to provide consumers with information, however, as Pernod Ricard will also leverage the power of QR codes in an attempt to combat counterfeiting.
Counterfeiting proves problematic for businesses
Counterfeit products are nothing new to the world of business. Many products are mimicked throughout the world by groups that seek monetary gain from masking low-quality products as branded merchandise. Pernod Ricard is just one of several companies that have to fight counterfeiting on a regular basis. QR codes may be able to assist in this fight by offering the company a way to ensure the authenticity of their products.
Codes offer information to consumers and protect against counterfeiting
When scanned, the QR codes will provide consumers with information concerning the origin of Pernod Ricard products. This information will include insight into the production process in order to instill confidence among consumers regarding the quality of the company’s drinks. The codes will also offer the company insight on the purchasing habits of consumers, which could be useful information for future marketing campaigns and other such initiatives. The codes will also help protect the company’s brands. The codes will be an inherent part of packaging and cannot be replicated. Penrod Ricard expects to have QR codes incorporated into all of its products within the next eight months.
QR codes are difficult for counterfeiters to mimic
QR codes are not often associated with anti-counterfeit endeavors, but could be effective tools for such applications. The codes themselves are easy and inexpensive to produce. Incorporating them into packaging can make it difficult for counterfeiters to mimic products, as the majority of these parties would typically use QR code stickers and do not have the ability to incorporate malicious codes into packaging.
