MPi has developed an innovative QR-based smartphone authentication solution designed to combat counterfeit products in India's excise sector. The system empowers state excise officials to verify products in the field by scanning QR codes and cross-referencing scan time, geographic location, product information, and label data. A centralized monitoring platform provides authorities with comprehensive visibility into inspection activities, user engagement, authentication history, and real-time field operations. The solution extends beyond regulatory use, enabling consumers to independently validate product authenticity through a dedicated smartphone application. This dual-access approach strengthens supply chain transparency and consumer protection while enhancing enforcement capabilities for excise authorities. By leveraging QR technology and location-based verification, the platform addresses critical challenges in product authentication and helps prevent illicit trade while building consumer confidence in product legitimacy.

Serialization in pharmaceuticals is the process of assigning unique, verifiable identifiers to individual product units to combat counterfeiting, theft, and supply chain inefficiencies. Each pack receives a 2D DataMatrix code containing a serial number, GTIN (which embeds the NDC in the United States), lot number, and expiration date, creating a globally unique identity called a serialized GTIN (SGTIN). While traditional batch-level coding uses lot numbers that remain identical across entire production runs, serialization distinguishes individual units within those runs, enabling immediate detection of counterfeits, stolen products, and unauthorized resales. For example, two bottles from the same 100,000-unit batch sharing the same GTIN and lot number will have distinct serial numbers, allowing systems to flag duplicates or unregistered products when scanned. The serialization process operates through four integrated steps—assigning, encoding, verifying, and reporting—executed across a packaging line's architecture from device-level systems to corporate platforms. This comprehensive approach addresses critical supply chain vulnerabilities that batch-level identification alone cannot resolve, making serialization essential for pharmaceutical product authentication and regulatory compliance.

WIARA's DigitalProductPassport is a software platform enabling companies to create, publish, and maintain digital product passports compliant with EU regulations. The solution operates through a straightforward four-step process: selecting a template, inputting data, publishing, and updating as products change. Passports are automatically published in all 24 official EU languages via GS1 Digital Link QR codes and support multiple regulatory frameworks including battery regulations (EU 2023/1542), textiles, furniture, electronics, toys (EU 2025/2509), detergents (EU 2026/405), and packaging. The platform offers flexible traceability options at model or batch levels and includes machine translation for custom fields. WIARA holds ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification and participates in the CIRPASS-2 Stakeholder Community. All template demonstrations are publicly accessible without sign-up requirements. This solution addresses the growing complexity of EU product sustainability and transparency mandates, enabling manufacturers to efficiently demonstrate compliance across multiple regulatory domains while providing consumers with comprehensive product information through QR codes.

Connected packaging represents an innovative approach to product engagement by linking physical packages to digital content through technologies such as QR codes, NFC tags, or RFID labels. When consumers scan or tap their smartphone on the package, they unlock a digital experience that transforms the physical product into an interactive communication channel. This technology enables multiple business objectives simultaneously: it provides consumers with detailed product information, authentication verification to combat counterfeiting, and personalized engagement opportunities. Connected packaging bridges the gap between physical retail experiences and digital ecosystems, allowing brands to gather valuable consumer interaction data while enhancing customer trust through transparency. The approach proves particularly valuable for industries concerned with product verification, customer loyalty, and data collection. By converting traditional packaging into smart touchpoints, companies can create differentiated customer experiences, improve supply chain visibility, and establish direct digital relationships with end consumers, making connected packaging a strategically important tool in modern consumer brand management and commerce.

Connected packaging integrates physical products with digital information through technologies including QR codes, NFC tags, RFID tags, and smart labels, enabling customers to access product details, instructions, offers, and online content while providing brands with new communication channels. The global connected packaging market is projected to expand significantly from $30.99 billion in 2026 to $57.4 billion by 2034, driven by increasing technological adoption. These solutions function through digital identifiers or interactive features that link physical packaging to relevant digital content, which customers access by scanning codes, tapping tags with their phones, or using compatible applications. Connected packaging benefits multiple industries by facilitating product information sharing, enhancing customer support, and improving operational processes such as inventory tracking. While consumer-facing applications like QR codes typically provide product information, RFID systems are often designed primarily for business operations. Implementation success requires a clear understanding of customer needs and best practices including compelling scanning incentives with clear prompts like "Scan for recipes," strategic code placement with appropriate sizing and contrast, and navigation simplification. The technology's value ultimately depends on how effectively the digital experience addresses customer requirements across various sectors.

Le DPP est un registre numérique qui accompagne un produit tout au long de son cycle de vie. Il contient des informations détaillées sur sa composition, sesmatériaux, son origine etses caractéristiques techniques, ainsi que des données sur sa durabilité, sa recyclabilité et sa conformité réglementaire. L’objectif du DPP est de favoriser la transparence et la traçabilité totale, permettant aux fabricants, distributeurs, recycleurs et consommateurs d’avoir accès à des informations fiables sur le produit. Cela aide non seulement à se conformer à la réglementation européenne, mais renforce également la confiance des consommateurs et améliore l’efficacité des processus de recyclage et de réutilisation.

The EU's Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), in force since July 18, 2024, mandates digital product passports (DPPs) for specific product categories. A DPP is a dataset accessed via QR codes or similar data carriers containing product-specific information defined by delegated acts for each product group. While the regulation is already active, implementation obligations begin 18 months after each delegated act enters force, with batteries leading at February 18, 2027. The DPP serves three purposes: enabling supply chain actors to access necessary information, assisting authorities in compliance verification, and improving product traceability. Each delegated act determines which data is included, the data carrier format, accessibility levels, and retention duration. On April 16, 2025, the Commission adopted its first ESPR working plan for 2025-2030, committing to implementing DPPs for all products with adopted ecodesign measures unless equivalent digital systems exist, such as the EPREL database for energy-labeled products. The regulation represents a significant step toward sustainability and supply chain transparency across the EU market.

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) implements a phased compliance approach rather than a single mandatory date, with different product categories entering scope through individual delegated acts over time. This staggered timeline, spanning 2026-2030, presents both opportunities and challenges for businesses operating across multiple sectors. While the phased rollout allows companies time to prepare their Digital Product Passport systems and supply chains systematically, it also creates complexity requiring strategic planning and portfolio prioritization. The ESPR entered into force on July 18, 2024, with several horizontal provisions establishing fixed deadlines independent of product-specific requirements. Notably, large enterprises must comply with the ban on destruction of unsold textiles and footwear by July 19, 2026, while medium enterprises have until July 19, 2030; micro and small enterprises are exempted. The European Commission's regularly updated working plan serves as the primary roadmap, detailing prioritized product categories and indicative timelines for delegated acts. Understanding these sector-specific deadlines is critical for businesses to align compliance investments, sequence projects efficiently, and avoid being caught unprepared when their sector's delegated act is published with its 18-month transition period.

The European Commission has introduced the battery passport under the EU Batteries Regulation, a transparency initiative built on the Digital Product Passport (DPP) technical framework established by the Ecodesign Regulation. This digital tool aims to enhance sustainability and circularity across battery lifecycles by making critical information accessible to economic operators, consumers, repairers, recyclers, and public authorities. The battery passport links to physical batteries via QR codes and provides comprehensive data on materials, performance, repair, reuse, and recycling information as defined by the Batteries Regulation. Operating through a decentralized system, responsible economic operators maintain detailed battery information. The passport applies to specific battery categories including electric vehicle batteries, e-bike batteries, e-moped and e-scooter batteries, home storage batteries, and industrial batteries placed on the EU market. Economic operators placing finished batteries on the market bear the obligation to create and maintain passport data, rather than component or module suppliers. This initiative supports Europe's clean energy transition and sustainable mobility goals by promoting informed decision-making throughout battery value chains.

The Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a digital identity system that links physical products to structured information about their origin, materials, compliance, environmental performance, and end-of-life handling. The EU DPP Registry became operational on July 20, 2026, with mandatory passports for specified battery categories commencing February 18, 2027, followed by other product groups through sector-specific legal acts. Manufacturers, importers, and suppliers must prepare product identifiers, supply-chain information, environmental data, and secure data-sharing processes before their product categories become subject to requirements. A compliant DPP utilizes a Unique Product Identifier (UPI) connected via QR codes, NFC tags, or machine-readable identifiers and must comply with harmonised European standards EN 18216 and EN 18219 to EN 18223, operating on a multi-tiered access system that segments information by user type. For organizations placing goods on the EU market, whether European-based or managing global supply chains, building DPP infrastructure now is critical. Beyond regulatory compliance, implementing robust technology including blockchain verification and API integrations transforms fragmented supply chains into transparent, verifiable data assets, making this structural shift in global trade a strategic opportunity rather than merely a compliance requirement.

Connected packaging integrates physical products with digital experiences by embedding QR codes, NFC tags, or RFID labels directly onto packaging. When consumers scan or tap these elements with their smartphones, the package transforms into an interactive communication channel. This technology enables brands to deliver real-time information, authenticate products to combat counterfeiting, and engage customers with personalized content and experiences. Connected packaging serves multiple strategic purposes: it provides supply chain transparency, facilitates product traceability, and creates opportunities for data collection and customer insights. The approach bridges the gap between traditional physical retail and digital commerce, allowing companies to extend brand experiences beyond the initial purchase. By converting packages into digital touchpoints, businesses can drive customer loyalty, gather feedback, and provide post-purchase support. Connected packaging proves particularly valuable for luxury goods, pharmaceuticals, and consumer products where authentication and consumer engagement are critical success factors, making it an increasingly essential strategy in modern retail and marketing ecosystems.

QR codes on product packaging have evolved into a critical marketing tool for consumer packaged goods brands, with roughly nine in ten CPG companies now incorporating them into at least one product line. This comprehensive guide addresses the complexities of implementing QR codes effectively in 2026, covering ten practical use cases including product information, loyalty offers, sustainability data, warranty registration, and augmented reality experiences. The article emphasizes that dynamic QR codes are essential for packaging since they allow destination changes without reprinting and provide scan measurement capabilities. A key development is the GS1 Sunrise 2027 initiative, which will enable retail scanners to accept QR codes at checkout starting in 2027, effectively replacing traditional barcodes. The guide details critical technical specifications for various substrates including foil and curved bottles, and identifies common failure modes that reduce scan rates. With native camera scanning now built into iOS and Android devices, the barrier to consumer adoption has been eliminated, contributing to approximately six in ten shoppers reporting recent packaging QR scans. The immutability of printed codes underscores the importance of getting implementation right from the outset, making this guidance particularly valuable for brands launching their second-generation packaging QR strategies.

QR codes are transforming pharmaceutical packaging by enabling personalized medicine, enhancing consumer communication, and combating counterfeit drugs. According to the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, QR code technology allows individual drug customization tailored to patient needs rather than mass production. Governments worldwide recognize QR codes' authentication value; India's Department of Pharmaceuticals mandated QR codes on all pharmaceutical packaging to ensure fair pricing and prevent counterfeit imitation, while Russia implemented similar QR code marking in January to fight counterfeit and smuggled medications. Retailers like Hobbs Pharmacy in Florida leverage QR codes to provide patients with medication-specific usage videos and side-effect information through convenient scanning. QR codes support multimedia content delivery—including PDFs, videos, surveys, images, and website URLs—overcoming physical packaging space limitations. This technology enables pharmaceutical companies to provide comprehensive product details, differentiate from competitors, and build consumer confidence in product legitimacy and safety. As counterfeit drugs pose significant health risks globally, QR code authentication represents a critical advancement in pharmaceutical supply chain transparency and consumer protection.

# Summary This open-access research paper, published in Electronic Markets in October 2026, investigates the motivations behind consumers' intentions to regularly use digital product passports. The study examines whether individuals are driven by moral obligation or personal benefit when adopting these sustainability-focused tools. Digital product passports represent an emerging technology that provides transparent information about product lifecycle, environmental impact, and material composition, enabling more informed purchasing decisions. The research explores the psychological and behavioral factors influencing consumer adoption patterns, analyzing the relative importance of altruistic versus self-interested motivations. Understanding these drivers is critical for policymakers and businesses seeking to promote sustainable consumption practices and circular economy principles. As regulatory frameworks increasingly mandate product passport implementation across the European Union and beyond, comprehending what incentivizes continued user engagement is essential for ensuring these digital tools achieve their environmental objectives rather than becoming abandoned compliance mechanisms.

E-labeling, the electronic distribution of product information including instructions for use, patient information leaflets, and summaries of product characteristics via digital channels, is poised for significant expansion in 2026. Rather than traditional paper inserts, e-labeling leverages QR codes, mobile apps, dedicated websites, and regulatory system integration to deliver searchable, dynamic content. As pharmaceutical companies face pressure to reduce costs and waste while improving global operations, e-labeling offers a compelling solution. The approach enables real-time content updates ensuring language and region-specific compliance while providing end-users with current, accurate information. E-labeling also supports environmental sustainability by eliminating physical materials. Global regulators, including agencies in the EU, Japan, Singapore, and Brazil, are increasingly endorsing electronic labeling through updated guidance documents. Key industry trends include incorporation of Unique Device Identifiers and QR codes on packaging, multilingual dynamic content delivery, and systems integration designed to enhance patient comprehension. This regulatory evolution and technological advancement are positioning e-labeling as a preferred method for pharmaceutical and medical device labeling distribution.

The UNECE has established the UNTP Software Implementers Register, a self-updating directory of software vendors implementing the UN Transparency Protocol. The register automatically discovers and validates vendor credentials through the Identity Resolver, inspecting issuingSoftware blocks and confirming compliance against UNTP core schemas and registered extensions. This Phase 0 initiative migrates previously hand-curated data, with all vendor DIDs currently serving as placeholders pending formal vendor outreach. UN/CEFACT supports global UNTP implementation through open-source reference implementations and conformity testing toolkits. Notable implementers include Spherity, a digital identity leader offering self-sovereign identity solutions including CARO for pharmaceutical supply chain authentication and VERA for Digital Product Passports; Trust Provenance, which leverages UNTP for agricultural supply chain transparency and digital product passport management; and Tilkal, a blockchain-integrated platform combining B2B networks with analytics and risk scoring for real-time supply chain visibility. These implementations demonstrate UNTP's critical role in establishing trust, traceability, and standardized data sharing across global supply chains, addressing regulatory compliance and operational efficiency needs across industries.

QR codes on product packaging serve as a bridge between physical products and digital content, enabling consumers to access manuals, videos, loyalty programs, warranty registration, and feedback forms through smartphone scanning. This guide examines the strategic application of QR codes across electronics, beauty, apparel, toys, and household goods sectors. According to QR TIGER's usage survey, 40% of shoppers scan QR codes specifically for product information, while eMarketer's 2025 forecast projects 102.6 million US consumers will engage in QR code scanning by 2026, indicating this behavior has evolved from pandemic-driven novelty to mainstream consumer habit. A 2024 GS1 US consumer survey found that 77% of consumers consider product information critical to purchasing decisions, with 79% more likely to buy products featuring scannable QR codes. Brands like Anker leverage QR codes to replace bulky paper manuals, reducing packaging production costs while maintaining updatable digital content. Advanced implementations include File QR Codes for comprehensive digital manuals and multi-URL QR Codes that redirect users based on language, location, time, and scan frequency, optimizing the consumer experience across diverse markets and demographics.

The European Medicines Agency and EU regulatory network released a draft ePI (electronic Product Information) implementation roadmap on March 20, 2026, establishing a phased voluntary adoption schedule. Oncology products classified under ATC codes L01 and L04 are targeted for voluntary go-live in Q3 2026, followed by vaccines (ATC J07) and all centrally authorized products in Q4 2026, with subsequent timelines to be confirmed. This transition fundamentally reshapes pharmaceutical packaging and labeling workflows by converting statutory content into structured data authored once and rendered dynamically across markets and languages, eliminating repetitive per-pack typesetting. Critically, packaging must incorporate a dynamic carrier mechanism that resolves to current content, since static printed links would recreate the core problem ePI addresses: frozen artwork becoming outdated as product information evolves. This initiative matters significantly for compliance and operational efficiency, requiring packaging and labeling teams to adopt new technical infrastructure while ensuring regulatory content remains current throughout a product's lifecycle, ultimately improving drug information accessibility and compliance across European markets.

A Digital Product Passport (DPP) is a structured digital record accessible via QR code or NFC tag containing information about a product's composition, manufacturing origin, environmental impact, and repair or recycling instructions. The European Union is mandating DPPs under Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), rolling them out progressively by product group. The EU registry became operational on July 20, 2026, storing unique passport identifiers while companies enroll using qualified electronic seals. Six harmonized standards (EN 18216–18223), published by CEN-CENELEC in May 2026, establish technical requirements for identifiers, data carriers, storage, and data exchange. Iron and steel represents the first mandatory product group, followed by textiles, tyres, aluminium, and furniture, while batteries have their own dedicated passport system. Each passport functions simultaneously as both human-readable content and machine-readable JSON-LD structured data, enabling seamless integration with search engines and software systems. This initiative supports circular economy objectives by providing transparency throughout a product's lifecycle and enabling informed consumer decisions regarding sustainability and repairability.

The European Union's Digital Product Passport (DPP) represents a comprehensive regulatory framework designed to enhance product transparency and sustainability. Established under Regulation (EU) 2024/1781, the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the DPP attaches digital data to products via unique identifiers such as QR codes, containing critical information about materials, composition, repairability, recyclability and supply chains. This data becomes accessible to consumers, repairers, recyclers and regulatory authorities. Implementation follows a phased approach, beginning with steel, textiles, furniture and tyres, with specific requirements defined through delegated acts for each category. While generating QR codes proves straightforward, companies face significant challenges collecting reliable, traceable data across supply chains and maintaining its accuracy. The Commission adopted the ESPR Working Plan 2025–2030 in April 2025, establishing an indicative timeline for delegated acts, with iron and steel regulations expected by Q4 2026. Energy-related products including smartphones and tablets follow subsequently. Battery passports operate under separate rules established by Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, taking effect February 18, 2027. Companies must begin preparing immediately by developing supply chain data collection systems ahead of detailed requirement publication.