Blog

How leading beauty brands are doubling down on QR codes

QR codes will soon be on all beauty products. See how brands are preparing today to get the most out of them.

How leading beauty brands are doubling down on QR codes

Over the past five years, successful beauty and personal care brands have found ways to tap into the rapid rise of social commerce and changes in consumer preferences for safer, more sustainable, and personalized products. Brands like L’Oreal, Clinique, ISDIN, Vaseline, and Natrue are differentiating themselves by embracing connected packaging technology, including QR codes, to drive better results for their loyalty and rewards programs. And some brands like L’Oreal are going all-in on QR codes over the next few years.

“We already have 1.5 billion products from 41 brands equipped with QR codes, and we’re committed to meeting the challenge of integrating them into all our products,” said Stéphane Lannuzel, director of the Beauty Tech program at L’Oréal, in an interview with Les Echos.

In this article, we explore the underlying trends that are driving brands to implement QR codes on their product packaging, and detail real-world examples and case studies where these initiatives are forging a deeper connection with their customers and drive better business results.

Consumer goods companies are doubling-down on QR codes (literally)

According to a Bit.ly report, in 2023, consumer goods companies were one of the fastest-growing segments in terms of QR code usage, with usage up 88% year-on-year.

As mobile web technology improves, brands are increasingly using QR codes to drive customers to more personalized and immersive mobile web experiences on par with those delivered by a native mobile app.

Clinique’s ClinicalReality AR is an example of this. In the past, such an experience would have  only been possible within a native app. Today, it’s possible within a mobile web experience, and promoted via QR code.

Given that 70% to 80% of users who visit an app store page don’t complete app install, by not requiring an app download, campaigns like this one benefit from significantly improved registration and engagement rates.

clinique-qr-campaign

Clinique is on the cutting edge of QR code and mobile web experiences with their ClinicalReality AR experience, delivered entirely in mobile web

1D barcodes are being replaced by GS1 digital link QR codes

GS1, an international standards group, is targeting 2027 as the year that 1D barcodes are replaced by QR codes on packaging. Many retailers are already discussing the transition with their suppliers. The introduction of GS1 Digital Link QR codes will be a turning point for the industry, as it will force brands to become familiar with QR codes and the ways to leverage them for other business uses beyond just product identification.

Brands are preparing for E.U. Digital Product Passport rules

As the personal care and beauty products industry faces increasing scrutiny regarding product safety and transparency, upcoming Digital Product Passport (DPP) regulations are set to impact how brands communicate with consumers. These regulations will require brands to provide detailed product information, including ingredients, sourcing, and environmental impact. QR codes are being named as one of the top data carriers to be allowed by the regulation and thus will play a crucial role in this transition, allowing brands to easily share compliance information while also engaging consumers in a meaningful way. By integrating QR codes into their packaging, personal care and beauty brands can not only meet regulatory requirements but also build trust with consumers through transparency. Brands like Shiseido are already piloting Digital Product Passports, exploring how to integrate them with marketing campaigns. You learn more about our work on Digital Product Passports here.

Digital printing on packaging is enabling more targeted, personalized marketing campaigns

Digital printing technology is revolutionizing how personal care and beauty brands design and produce packaging, enabling brands to run personalized marketing campaigns, test messaging, and detect counterfeits. High-quality, customizable packaging can be tailored to specific consumer segments or marketing campaigns. Variable printing enables brands to incorporate unique QR codes on each product, linking to personalized content such as usage instructions, promotional offers, or brand stories. This level of customization not only enhances the consumer experience but also fosters brand loyalty by making each interaction feel unique and tailored.

Colgate-Palmolive cited digital printing as a key technology for personalization in a recent campaign.

E-commerce and social media has led to a rise in counterfeits and grey market beauty products

Beauty brands are increasingly turning to QR codes to tackle counterfeits and product diversion. Scantrust works with several beauty brands who leverage QR codes for marketing campaigns while also tackling counterfeiting issues and product diversion thanks to the invaluable data generated by consumer scans of products.

So – who’s leading the way in connected packaging for cosmetics?

Several beauty, skincare, and personal care brands have successfully implemented QR codes to supercharge their marketing campaigns and set a foundation for other use cases, such as Digital Product Passports. Here are notable examples:

ISDIN: Serialized QR codes for loyalty and rewards

Spanish skincare company ISDIN, a Scantrust customer which regularly tops lists of dermatologist-recommended products, uses QR codes for marketing campaigns across both physical and digital use cases, including to power its rewards program, “Love ISDN”.

ISDIN-QR-codes-beauty-skincare-cosmetics

Learn more about ISDIN’s QR code rewards – see the case study

L’Oréal: QR codes on billions of products

L’Oreal is all-in on QR codes and will have them on billions of products in the next few years. Their Kerastase product is a standout case study for QR code – customers can see how the product will enhance their look, see tutorials, and learn more about the ingredients, elevating the shopping experience overall. They’ve also used QR  codes for reusable packaging.

Shameless plug: Dear L’Oréal or any other global brand reading this – we hope you’re happy with your QR code solution and it’s on track to be able to generate and manage billions of codes for you. If not, let’s talk – we’d be thrilled to share why ISDIN and other brands love our enterprise QR code generator.

Vaseline: Personalized skincare experiences with QR codes

Under Unilever, Vaseline leveraged QR codes to create a personalized consumer experience. The “See My Skin” campaign featured products with QR codes which led consumers to a website where they could find tailored skincare solutions based on their specific skin conditions. This initiative not only educated consumers but also fostered a deeper connection between the brand and its audience.

Natrue: A pioneer of Digital Product Passport for cosmetics

This Brussels-based company focuses on natural and organic personal care and beauty. They implemented QR codes on their product packaging, linking consumers to detailed information about the ingredients and benefits of each product. But not only that, they’ve even funded and published a study about QR codes and digital labelling, showing the preference for consumers to see product information on and off-pack. These initiatives has helped Natrue build trust with consumers by providing transparency and promoting informed purchasing decisions.

How will your skincare brand get the most out of QR codes?

Successfully preparing for Digital Product Passports and GS1 Digital Link will take some brands years. Fortunately, today there are already proven use cases for QR codes on product packaging with strong business cases. We’re excited to be working with leaders in the personal care and beauty segments on connected packaging, and happy to help you craft a vision and plan for how your brand can engage your customers and elevate your business with QR codes.