Consumers, brands, trade organisations, and EU legislators are all embracing digital disclosure. Using a QR code on a product to provide more information is fast becoming the norm. And the reason is simple: everyone benefits from adding a digital experience to their physical products.
What is the concept of digital disclosure?
Digital disclosure is the practice of making product information available to consumers, regulators, and trade partners through a digital channel, most commonly a QR code on the product or its packaging. Scan it with a smartphone and you get immediate access to a rich, up-to-date, and personalised information experience. This is what smart packaging looks like in practice.
The momentum behind digital disclosure is accelerating. Consumers expect it. Regulators are mandating it. And the industry is aligning behind a new generation of standards to make it universal.
Sunrise 2027: a turning point for smart packaging
The Consumer Packaged Goods industry and GS1 have issued a joint commitment to Sunrise 2027, the migration from the traditional barcode to a 2D barcode such as a GS1 QR code.
Powered by GS1 Digital Link, this shift encodes a web address directly into the barcode, meaning one code works at the retail checkout scanner and connects consumers to a full digital product experience at the same time. This paves the way towards smarter products and better supply chain data.
The QR code on your product will become one of your most valuable assets: the code scanned at checkout, the link to regulatory declarations, the guide customers depend on during ownership, and the instruction for how and where to dispose of the product at end of life.
Who benefits from digital disclosure?
The consumer: convenience, clarity and trust
There are 24 official languages in the EU, and we travel around as never before. Think of the sheer convenience of scanning a QR code on a product to learn about its contents, allergens, usage, and instructions, in a language that the consumer understands.
Instructions are also more easily understood, better visualised, and supported with video content. This means the consumer is more likely to use the product as intended.
Because it is digital, the content can be updated and adjusted at any time. Brands can offer real help on ordering replacement parts, product registration, or sharing recall information. This creates trust with the brand and keeps the customer updated and informed.
The brand: retention and engagement
A QR code on the product invites the customer to a one-to-one interaction with the brand. Beyond providing additional product information, it transforms packaging into a digital touchpoint, enabling brand storytelling, loyalty programs, promotions, product registration, and other personalized experiences that strengthen customer engagement and encourage ongoing loyalty.
Trade organizations: transparency
Trade organisations play an important role in establishing common approaches to product information sharing. Digital disclosure initiatives such as SmartLabel in the US show what this looks like in practice: a market standard by which brands share information in a consistent format, making it easier for consumers to access, compare, and understand product information.
Such initiatives also help accelerate the adoption of digital disclosure by providing clear frameworks and best practices for brands to follow.
EU legislators: protection and rewards
The European Union is ambitious in its efforts to create a more sustainable and circular economy. Regulations such as PPWR, ESPR, and EUDR require brands to provide greater transparency about the origins, composition, and sustainability of their products. This helps ensure that products placed on the market meet established requirements and gives consumers access to more reliable information.
Digital disclosure is a key enabler of this transition. Brands that can provide the data needed to substantiate claims related to circularity, sustainability, quality, and safety benefit in two ways:
- Legislative compliance enables access to the EU market.
- Greater transparency helps consumers make more informed purchasing decisions.
Getting digital disclosure right: four key considerations
The QR code on your product will be of strategic and critical importance. Based on our experience working with brands across industries, here are the four practical considerations that help you make informed decisions and build on a solid foundation.
- Global interoperability: Leverage GS1 compliant QR Code standards, to ensure one code works for the entire ecosystem, from checkout scanner and inventory management to consumer engagement.
- Dynamic intelligence: Smart URL resolution ensures the landing page always presents the latest real-time data.
- Contextual routing: Automated redirects based on location, time of day, and language settings ensure the best possible experience is presented to individual customers.
- Security and availability: Secure platforms, high- service levels, and reliability are critical. But availability also means being able to depend on a team of experts to guide and support you.
At Kezzler, we help global brands build the foundation that makes digital disclosure credible, scalable, and future-ready.
