QR Code in France: Top Industry and Brand Use Cases
What do croissants, couture, and QR codes have in common? You’ll find them all in France.
From Michelin star menus that appear with a quick scan to museum exhibits that come alive with digital storytelling, QR code in France are not just a passing trend.
In fact, France is the third country with the highest scanning activity volume next to the United States and India, accounting for 4.0% of global QR code scans.
With the help of a QR code generator, the country is reimagining everyday interaction by blending heritage and innovation.
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11 industry use cases of the QR code in France
In the land of romance and revolution, QR codes are sparking a digital uprising across industries.
Here are 11 use cases of QR codes in France that you should know about.
1. Banking and Fintech
QR code usage in France surged after COVID-19 and the technology has been widely adopted ever since, particularly in facilitating electronic payments.
Grand View Horizon Research reports that France’s QR payments market is expected to reach a revenue of $ 3,276.6 million by 2033.
Earlier in 2025, the UPI QR code payment was introduced by the French government to promote digital payments and strengthen the economic collaboration between France and India.
This UPI-powered innovation entered the French market with the support of Lyra Network, a leading fintech company specializing in eCommerce and POS payments.
In September 2024, the European Payments Initiative (EPI) launched Wero, a sovereign European payment solution. Wero allows instant account-to-account payments and is now available to French customers.
One of its standout features is its QR code payment system, which enables users to transfer money between individuals in 10 seconds or less.
One of the pioneers of QR payments in France are Carrefour and BNP Paribas, which launched Lyf Pay together way back in 2017. It’s a QR code-based mobile payment app that supports in-store, online, and peer-to-peer payments.
The app was a combination of their Wa! and Fivory apps, marking a strategic response to Apple Pay’s entry into France.
Soon after, other banks have also began implementing the same approach in the late 2024: Crédit Agricole, Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédéral, and La Banque Postale, among others.
💡Statistics: 38 percent of French consumers are ready to use QR codes as a payment method in 2020. (Statista)
2. Transportation QR code for France
In some regions, like Île-de-France, QR codes are placed on buses and at bus stops to provide passengers with real-time information about their routes, schedules, and other relevant details.
Keolis, a French transportation company operating in Île-de-France, uses QR codes to deliver passenger services more efficiently.
The company also uses QR codes to direct people to their multi-lingual artificial intelligent (AI) chatbot called Keobot. The code opens a chat on WhatsApp.
Similarly, the France Identité application allows passengers on certain train services, including InOui, Intercités, and TER with compulsory booking, to generate a secure QR code that serves as a digital form of identification.
With this QR code, the train staff can verify the passenger's identity without needing to physically check their ID or ticket.
💡Statistics: 75% of Parisians are familiar with QR code technology. (Keolis)
3. Healthcare
Healthcare facilities and providers in France use QR codes to help patients access medical records, schedule appointments, and use telemedicine.
This contactless method makes things easier for patients and lightens the load for healthcare providers.
During the pandemic, France employed the QR code for COVID vaccine verification.
Non-European nationals can also obtain a QR code for vaccine in France, which is valid across the French territory.
Similarly, temporary QR codes can also be generated in France via the TousAntiCovid app, which are extremely helpful for tourists.
4. Retail
In France, QR codes are not just used for payments in retail stores. They are also used for promotions and delivery of product information.
The French retail giant Carrefour has launched Mon Panier, a mobile app that lets customers order and pay for their grocery shopping with QR codes.
Printemps, a French luxury department store, also integrated with Alipay+, a suite of global cross-border digital payment and marketing solutions.
This initiative became convenient for Asian consumers to checkout by paying through their familiar payment app.
5. Marketing
French brands use the best QR code generator to create dynamic QR code campaigns with an intention to drive website traffic and boost sales.
AIRFRANCE-KLM partnered with QPSOFTWARE to launch a creative QR code campaign that transformed print media into dynamic digital experiences, boosting customer engagement and providing valuable analytics.
💡Statistics: France’s QR code market is expected to reach $138.3 million by 2033 (Future Market Insights)
6. Hospitality
Several French restaurants use QR codes for ordering, ordering items on menus, and payments.
The French restaurant chain Big Mamma started using a QR code menu with a payment solution.
After abolishing the traditional system, today the restaurant allows customers to scan a code at their table for the menu, order food, and pay.
According to Sunday, the provider of the digital menu, Big Mamma’s QR codes has a usage rate of 70%.
7. Art and culture
QR codes are widely used in France museums to make the visitor experience interactive.
In an effort to bridge the gap between traditional art appreciation and the digital age, the Louvre Museum introduced QR codes strategically placed next to select artworks and exhibition entrances.
These QR codes, when scanned with a smartphone, grant visitors instant access to a wealth of information.
Similarly, at the Musée national Pablo Picasso, visitors can read information about the chapel and the War and Peace on their smartphones by scanning the QR code path.
8. Packaging
In 2023, French authorities updated packaging rules requiring an on-pack recycling logo and QR code for all food and drinks sold in the country.
Any business selling food and drink to French supermarkets must add a new recycling logo to labels, as well as a QR code that gives shoppers detailed packaging and recycling information.
9. Security
During the Paris Olympics 2025, a QR code system called "Pass Jeux" was used by the police to manage security perimeters around event venues and other sensitive areas.
As per the system, it was mandatory for anyone, including residents, workers, and tourists, who needed to access these zones, which included both "red" and "gray" areas.
Anyone who did not have access around the event venue was asked by the government to apply for a QR code.
Proof was needed of why the person needs to be inside the zone, such as proof of address, an appointment, or restaurant reservation.
Even motor vehicles were prohibited around certain areas unless the driver had the QR code.
10. Fight against abuse
Catholic priests in France have QR codes, a method to quickly verify whether they are sex offenders. This is a part of a national crackdown on the rampant abuse done by clergymen.
According to the Bishops’ Conference of France, people could scan a priest’s QR code with their smartphones to receive one of three color codes revealing the clergy member’s “status”.
Red shows that the priest has been stripped of his clerical position potentially due to child sex abuse, though the nature of the sanction is not specified.
Green is a sign that the priest is in good standing, while orange indicates he’s not yet fully qualified to lead Mass.
11. Tourism
During COVID 19, the French Government issues QR codes created through a QR code software to Islanders visiting the country.
These temporary Pass Sanitaire or health passes were mandatory for everyone using public transit, dining in restaurants, going to cinemas, and more.
Similarly, the Tourist Health Passes issued by the government were also widely used during this period. 
Top brands in France embracing QR codes
Brands across industries are finding creative ways to connect the physical world with digital convenience through a simple scan.
We’ve listed six companies with the most outstanding QR code uses in France, providing digital dimension to static touchpoints.
1. Radio France
Radio France is the French national public radio broadcaster. They use QR codes to provide people with quick access to immersive cultural experiences.
During the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 held in Nice, ICI Azur and Radio France collaborated to produce the “maritime sound epic,” which is divided into five podcasts.
Passersby walking along the Promenade des Anglais are encouraged to scan the QR code under the pergolas to unlock audio walks about the Mediterranean and how to protect it.
Through their podcasts and online blogs, Radio France widely spoke about the use of QR codes, and how they are catalysts of digital innovation.
2. Castorama
Castorama is a French retailer of DIY and home improvement tools and supplies. The brand uses QR codes to make their digital services instantly accessible.
The brand’s website has two app QR codes — one for the App Store and another for Google Play Store — that visitors can scan to quickly download the Castorama app on their smartphones.
For renting vehicles via Castorama’s services, customers can download the dedicated “Castorama Location Véhicule” app by also scanning a QR code.
Castorama’s “Castoclés” service, which offers on-demand duplication of keys and badges, also features a QR code.
By scanning the QR code, site visitors can download the Castoclés app, which they’ll be using to take a photo of their key, receive pricing, and delivery details.
3. Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton QR code presents a crucial layer of protection for its products and a better luxury shopping experience for customers.
They link directly to product details, care guides, and immersive content, while also driving app downloads and customer service access.
In creative campaigns, LV has turned QR codes into branded fashion statements—such as artist-designed codes and interactive experiences at fashion shows and exhibitions.
They even introduced the Pass app, letting users scan images in ads for exclusive content, making QR engagement feel seamless and stylish.
4. L’Oreal
L’Oréal is transforming the way consumers interact with cosmetics by replacing traditional barcodes with QR codes across nearly all of its products.
With just a scan, shoppers can unlock ingredient lists, product benefits, tutorials, and even videos demonstrating proper use.
Beyond convenience, these QR codes also provide environmental impact details, helping customers make more informed, sustainable choices.
Stéphane Lannuzel, Beauty Tech Program Director at L’Oréal, shared that more than 1.5 billion of their products already have QR codes, and they aim to place one to all of them (except too-small items like makeup pencils) by the end of 2026.
5. Chloé
Chloé’s Spring/Summer 2023 “Chloé Vertical” collection showcases a pioneering QR code implementation through Digital IDs powered by EON.
The QR codes help customers to track the product’s journey from raw materials to the finished piece. It also gives them access to details such as manufacturing origins, care and repair instructions, and authentication certificates.
Chloé aims to extend this QR code–powered Digital ID system across nearly all its products by 2025, aligning with broader industry shifts toward product traceability, circularity, and the forthcoming EU digital product passport regulations
6. Bouygues Telecom
Bouygues Telecom uses QR codes primarily for activating eSIMs.
When purchasing an eSIM from Bouygues Telecom, customers will receive a QR code via email, which you then scan with your device to install and activate the digital SIM.
Final thoughts
QR code in France are powerful connectors that reshape how people interact with culture, commerce, and everyday life.
The government and companies across industries are making physical spaces into richer experiences, unlocking transparency, and making services more accessible to people.
As QR codes’ role continues to expand, one thing is certain: the future of interaction in France will become as swift as a scan.
Ready to get started? Amplify your brand in France by using QR TIGER. Trusted by over 850,000 worldwide, you can create advanced QR codes with real insights. Sign up for free.
FAQ
Do tourists need a QR code for the Paris Olympics?
Generally no. However, people without event access had to create a QR code to enter the restricted areas near the olympics venue.
What is the QR code zone in Paris?
The "QR code zone" refers to the "grey perimeter" also known as the SILT (anti-terrorism) zone. The zone was formed for security purposes during the Olympics.
