How to use QR codes in store and on packaging
A QR code turns a printed surface into a link. Put one on a shelf talker, a till display, a receipt, a table card or the back of a pack, and people can open your page with their phone camera. It works best when the scan gives people something they want right then: a prize to play for, a recipe, a guide or a discount on their next visit.
- Say what happens. "Scan to spin the wheel" or "Scan for the recipe" gets more attention than a code on its own.
- Put it where people wait. Queues, tables, fitting rooms and checkout counters give people time to scan.
- Use a page made for phones. Most scans open on a phone, so the page must load fast and work with one thumb.
For more ideas, read our QR code marketing strategy and in-store competition ideas.
Test the scan before you print
Print a test copy at the real size and scan it with two or three different phones, in the light where it will hang. Check that the right page opens, with the UTM tags you expect. A QR code you can't change after printing is only as good as the page behind it, so link to a page you control.
Size, contrast and margin
- Size. The further away people stand, the bigger the code must be. A rule of thumb often used in print is a code at least a tenth as wide as the scanning distance, so about 10 cm for a poster read from 1 metre. Always test it.
- Contrast. Phones look for dark modules on a light background. Black on white is safest. Colored codes work if the color is dark enough; the tool warns you when the contrast against white is below 4.5:1. Avoid light codes on dark backgrounds, which some scanners can't read.
- Margin. Keep the empty border (the quiet zone) around the code. The QR standard asks for 4 modules. Don't let text or pictures run into it.
- Error correction. A higher level lets the code survive scratches, dirt or a small logo on top, but it makes the code denser. Medium (M) suits most uses. Choose H if the code will get worn, or if you place something over it.
- Shorter is easier. A short link gives a code with fewer, larger modules, which scans more easily from far away and at small sizes.
UTM tags: see what the code brings in
A QR code can't count scans by itself. If you add UTM tags, your analytics tool can show the visits that came from the code, for example source "store", medium "qr" and campaign "summer-2026". Use lower case and the same names every time, because analytics tools treat "Store" and "store" as different values. Make one code per placement if you want to compare a poster with a receipt.
Put a Scratcher campaign behind the code
The code can open a Scratcher campaign: customers scan in store, play a scratch card or spin the wheel on their phone, and you collect their email and marketing consent. Read how it works on our page about QR codes in store. Because the link stays the same, you can change the game or the prizes later without printing a new code.
