Key QR Code Scanning Trends in Retail and E-commerce in 2025

By: Ashley P.Update: May 20, 2025

Quick Response (QR) codes have come a long way since their days as information storage during manufacturing.

Like 1D barcodes we commonly find in stores and packaging, QR codes have found success in the retail industry and e-commerce.

Has this success impacted the retail and e-commerce sectors in any meaningful way? It most certainly has, and this article on QR code scanning trends in retail and e-commerce has all the answers you will need.

Table of Contents

Latest QR code statistics and trends in retail and e-commerce
How you can use the latest QR code scanning trends in retail and e-commerce to boost your retail and e-commerce business
How do you attract customers to scan QR codes?
Brands that aced their retail and e-commerce campaigns with retail QR codes
Grow your retail and e-commerce business with QR TIGER

Latest QR code statistics and trends in retail and e-commerce

These days, QR codes made with a QR code platform can be seen on store windows, advertisements, and other marketing materials. This must mean that retailers find them very beneficial, right?

To answer that, let’s look at the following trends about QR codes, cited from reliable sources and some QR code generator with logo online :

Retail experienced an 88% year-over-year increase in QR code generation

The retail industry itself has increased its QR code creations by 88% from 2022.

Included in this are Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industries, which refers to companies that sell products that consumers use and replace regularly, like food, beverages, and clothes.

Why this noticeable increase? It’s suggested that this is due to a focus on implementing QR codes on product packaging for an improved customer experience and streamlined item tracking.

The e-commerce industry shares 6.8% of all QR code scans to date

QR TIGER’s latest QR code statistics report shows that the e-commerce industry shares 6.8% of global QR code scans.

While it seems like a smaller number, this rate is enough to rank this industry fourth out of all industries that scan QR codes.

Americans scan more QR codes than any other country

Countries all over the world are scanning QR codes every day, but according to ProfileTree’s data on QR code usage by country, the United States leads the world in QR code scans by 42.2%.

Not only is this close to half of all scans, but the country with the second largest share of scans is India, with 16.1%, which is around 2.6 times less.

Other countries with the most scans are:

France (6.4%)
UK (3.6%)
Canada (3.6%)

Self-checkout is one of the most preferred ways of using QR codes in retail

According to ProfileTree, the consumer goods industry noticed a 247% jump in QR code usage between 2021 and 2023. Within this period, self-checkout QR codes were commonly used by consumers.

Other methods of using QR codes popular in retail include:

accessing product information
making contactless payments
launching personalized promotions

QR codes make brands appear more transparent and trustworthy

Trust is something that is earned, and one way of doing that is by being transparent, which means being open and honest. Based on QR code scanning trends in retail and e-commerce, many customers are seeking this.

According to Retail TouchPoints, recent survey data suggests that 40% of respondents are more likely to scan QR codes to read manufacturing details.

This percentage of people tells us that customers are interested in the origins and the production of the items they want to buy.

QR codes have been found to have a positive impact on consumer attitude and satisfaction

A study in the Future Business Journal found that QR codes positively affect consumer attitudes and satisfaction levels.

This was more noticeable when QR codes were used to provide supply chain information and traceability, highlighting the customer’s desire for transparency even more.

This positive impact was also observed in the banking and financial technology sectors, where consumers used QR codes for digital payments.

Additionally, 1WorldSync’s 2024 Consumer Product Content Benchmark report found that 42% of shoppers had a much better in-store shopping experience when using QR codes.

These QR codes were usually embedded with links to ratings and reviews, price comparisons, product information, and digital coupons and discounts.

Small and medium-sized businesses are offering value-added services and improving customer engagement through QR codes

Businesses worldwide have noticed how useful QR codes can be, especially when communicating with customers. According to data from Bitly, small and medium-sized businesses have also adopted them by using a QR code generator with logo integration.

With QR codes, these businesses can engage with their customers in a personal and engaging way.

This is why, in 2023, according to the data, small businesses increased their QR code generation by 175% more compared to 2022, while medium-sized businesses increased theirs by 184% more.

40% of customers rank convenience as the first or second most important factor when shopping

A trend that retailers and e-commerce shop owners have to remember is that convenience is among the top factors customers look for while shopping.

In fact, Numerator’s Mythbusters: Convenience report revealed that 40% of customers rank convenience as their first or second decision-making factor when shopping.

59% of US shoppers agree that they will use QR codes permanently

According to a 2021 survey, 59% of respondents from the United States believed that scanning QR codes would be a permanent aspect of their mobile phone usage in the future.

On the other hand, 11% of US shoppers disagreed with that statement.

Serialised QR codes are gaining more interest

With an advanced dynamic QR code generator today, it’s possible to create the most eye-catching QR codes possible. Despite this, there are still QR code best practices to be mindful of while generating one for yourself.

However, Industry Intelligence Inc. found that 66.1% of respondents to their survey were becoming interested in serialized QR codes. These QR codes feature a unique number that corresponds to the specific item they are attached to.

This trend tells us that companies are seeking ways to enhance customer interactions and engagement.

64% of shoppers have scanned a product packaging QR code while shopping in-store

The world is becoming more digital by the day, and this change is affecting retail stores on a whole new level.

1WorldSync’s report indicated that 64% of shoppers have scanned QR codes on a retail product while shopping. This could be for a number of different reasons, such as QR code payments, hidden content, or even exclusive deals.

Regardless of the reason, more and more shoppers are scanning QR codes, turning store aisles into interactive shopping experiences.

40% of consumers were extremely interested in using QR codes for AR try-ons or product visualization

Many brands, including Maybelline New York, incorporate virtual reality gimmicks because they enhance customers' shopping experience, whether offline or online. 40% of survey respondents agree with this, according to the findings of Retail TouchPoints.

According to the data, respondents were highly interested in scanning QR codes to access virtual try-ons and product visualizations. This technology allows shoppers to examine items with variants that may not be on display.

34% of customers are willing to engage in additional steps if they have a high-value payoff after scanning

The QR code retail findings mentioned so far indicate a trend in the use of QR codes for convenience. QR codes can be used to fast-track processes and receive immediate value, all with a single scan.

However, Retail TouchPoints also found that 34% of users were willing to go through a multi-step process after scanning a QR code if they could see that it would lead to a high-value payoff.

This statistic tells us that while shoppers expect convenience in retail QR codes, they will also do more if they expect to get more.

Industries expect to begin the shift to 2D barcodes by 2027

The use of barcodes in retail since 1974 has revolutionized the industry for the better, and many retailers are looking to do it again with Sunrise 2027.

It is an initiative in which the QR code will replace the barcode guided by GS1, the standards organization that introduced the barcode in 1974.

This transition will introduce 2D barcode technology into retail point-of-sale systems and the global supply chain.

While the traditional 1D barcode will be replaced, it won’t happen immediately. It will still take time for retailers using QR codes to become the standard. However, Sunrise 2027 will ensure that the process starts in earnest.

To learn more about GS1 Sunrise 2027 and how you can future-proof your business with Digital Link QR codes, watch QR TIGER’s full webinar hosted by experts Melissa Wilson, Head of QR TIGER Enterprise, and Ned Mears, Senior Director of GS1 US.

How you can use the latest QR code scanning trends in retail and e-commerce to boost your retail and e-commerce business

It is clear why businesses in the retail and e-commerce space have increased their QR code usage over the years.

The good news is that you can also use QR codes to drive your business to success. Here is how you can do just that:

Offer cashless payment methods

Based on the latest retail QR code trends, this use of QR codes is very popular among customers offline and online.

To boost sales, offer cashless payment methods and generate a QR code for payment at your stores for a faster checkout process.

Bring customers to your website

If you have a website, a convenient but effective way of directing your customers to it is to link your site to a QR code.

With just one code, your shoppers can be introduced to your business’s online space and learn more about your brand and its goods. This method also allows you to reach your industry’s QR code scan rate benchmark.

Connect customers to your shop

You always want to build a good relationship with your shoppers. QR codes are an amazing tool for this purpose thanks to their ease of use and storage capacity, which allows you to store a lot of information in one small package.

This is why using 2D barcodes for customer engagement is how QR codes can be used successfully in retail and e-commerce.

Using a QR code, you can share your shop’s location with interested consumers. You can also deploy feedback QR codes so your shoppers can give comments and suggestions.

If customers can order your products from your website, linking a QR code to your online store can also bring in new customers.

Strengthen your social media presence

Being visible on social media helps you stay connected with your customers while also drawing in new ones. Use social media as a powerful marketing channel and use a link page solution to direct them to your profiles.

If your business has a presence on several platforms, you can connect your customers to all of them by using a link page QR code from the best QR code generator.

Create personalized shopping journeys

QR codes are gateways to information, so use that to your advantage by equipping your store with QR codes for its products. Personalize the shopping experience by linking QR codes to product information and reviews.

As a bonus, you can even include tips and tricks shoppers can follow when using your products.

Reward customer loyalty

Customer loyalty is an important element of a business’s success. Like a fruit-bearing tree, it should be nurtured to guarantee continuous revenue.

Retaining loyalty is a challenge many businesses overcome by launching loyalty programs or special offers. QR codes can easily direct shoppers to these programs by connecting interested parties to your promotion’s landing page.

Provide insight into your product’s origin

Another popular use of QR codes in retail is to inform shoppers about the manufacturing and sourcing of consumer products.

Increasing customer satisfaction will turn your shoppers into repeat customers, so fulfilling their need for insight is a great way of boosting sales.

How do you attract customers to scan QR codes?

QR codes are being adopted by more and more businesses, which means customers might get used to seeing QR codes while having no interest in scanning them.

Here are a few ways to keep your audience interested in your QR code campaigns:

Choose unique eye shapes and patterns that don’t increase scanning difficulties
Use attention-grabbing color combinations (color combinations that contrast each other and stand out from other graphics on the poster).
Include a clear but concise call to action and your company logo.
Download using the most appropriate image format.
Print high-resolution QR codes.

Brands that aced their retail and e-commerce campaigns with retail QR codes

Multiple brands have noticed emerging trends in QR code usage, so their adoption of these communication tools was inevitable. What’s noteworthy is the innovative ideas their marketing teams came up with to use QR codes in their campaigns. Here are just a few outstanding campaigns.

‘This is an IKEA store’ QR code campaign

IKEA Philippines took its stores and brought them to customers’ phones with a simple QR code campaign. With a simple yet effective “This is an IKEA store” tagline and a QR code, customers are encouraged to scan their code for easy access to the brand’s online store.

Amazon’s Halloween QR codes

Amazon’s Halloween QR code campaign took QR code advertising to a whole new level.

The tech giant attached QR codes to their packages alongside the outline of a pumpkin. With a simple set of instructions, Amazon shoppers were encouraged to design jack-o’-lanterns before bringing them to life through Amazon’s AR app.

Scan-to-Shop QR code by Reebok

Similar to IKEA Philippines’s QR code, Reebok's in-store QR code offers customers an expanded list of footwear and apparel.

Grow your retail and e-commerce business with QR TIGER

It is clear that QR codes have found a place in the retail and e-commerce space. With QR code generation increasing year-over-year, it is also obvious that the technology will continue to become a major instrument in the industry.

Almost all businesses are using QR codes to improve their operations. If you have a business, now is the right time to follow the latest QR code scanning trends in retail and e-commerce with the help of an advanced QR code platform.

With powerful software like ours, you can create codes that connect you to your customers in a convenient but engaging way.