The latest Trend Report from ScanLife, a mobile marketing company, shows that the popularity of QR codes and UPC barcodes is growing in the U.S. These codes have been around for decades but consumers have only recently become aware of their existence. The report shows that 2D barcodes are beating traditional 1D barcodes, such as UPC codes, in popularity. This is due, primarily, to the fact that QR codes are much more dynamic than their counterparts, allowing consumers to gain access to a wealth of digital content by scanning them with their smart phones.
The report draws data from the ScanLife Reporting Platform, which was collected in the fourth quarter of 2011. 2D barcodes accounted for 73% of the codes scanned by consumers in this time, with 1D barcodes accounting for the remaining 27%. The report also shows that QR codes are most popular amongst men between the ages of 25 and 34. The codes are scanned the most from Android mobile devices, with this platform accounting for 50% of all scans. The iPhone trails behind with 39% of scans.
The Consumer Packaged Goods industry – which represents goods that are consumed on a daily basis and replaced frequently – moved to the top spot on the report’s ranking of which industries are using QR codes the most. The codes have been quite successful in this industry as many consumers have been exposed to QR codes simply because they have seen them every day.
