Connected packaging

What is connected packaging and how does it work?

Every package already carries information: brand, ingredients, barcode. Connected packaging adds a gateway to information that does not fit on the pack or changes over time. The pack, a label or an insert card carries an identifier that a phone can read. When the customer reads it, the phone opens a web address, and the page behind it can show anything from a set-up video to a warranty registration.

The identifier can be the same for every unit of a product, which is enough for general content, or unique per unit. Unique identifiers make it possible to check authenticity, see where a product was opened and link the interaction to a specific batch. Because the content sits on a server, the brand can change it after the packaging has been printed and shipped.

Which technologies are used for connected packaging?

The choice of technology decides cost per unit, how easy the interaction is and what the brand can learn from it.

• QR codes: printed directly on the pack at almost no extra cost and readable by every phone camera. The GS1 Digital Link standard encodes the product’s GTIN in a web address, so one QR code can serve both checkout scanners and consumers. GS1 US’s Sunrise 2027 initiative aims for retail checkouts in the US to accept 2D barcodes by the end of 2027.
• NFC tags: a small chip and antenna in the pack, a label or an insert. A tap opens the content without the camera. Phones read NFC at 13.56 MHz from a few centimetres, iPhone XS and later in the background. Tags with cryptographic authentication, such as NXP’s NTAG 424 DNA, generate a new verifiable code on each tap and are used for anti-counterfeiting; tamper-evident tags detect whether a seal has been broken.
• UHF RFID: used for logistics and inventory, read by dedicated readers over metres. Smartphones cannot read UHF RFID, so it is not a consumer-facing channel.
• AR: web-based AR uses the camera to show 3D content or animation on or around the pack, usually launched via QR or NFC.

How is connected packaging used in marketing?

The most common uses are content that does not fit on a label: how-to videos, recipes, care instructions, ingredient origin, or instructions in many languages. Close behind are loyalty and retention: product registration, warranty activation, a sign-up for a customer programme or a one-tap reorder. For premium goods, wine and spirits, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, authentication against counterfeits is a strong driver, which favours NFC with secure, unique tags.

Regulation is adding reasons. Since December 2023, wine sold in the EU may provide the full ingredient list and nutrition declaration through an electronic label reached via a code on the bottle. The EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) introduces a Digital Product Passport that will be accessed through a data carrier on the product, starting with selected product groups. For a comparison of the two main triggers, see QR code vs. NFC.

What are the limits of connected packaging?

A QR code costs little but competes for space and attention on the pack, and many customers never scan it. NFC makes the interaction easier but adds cost per unit and an extra step in packaging production. Metal surfaces and liquids interfere with NFC antennas, so placement has to be tested. For recycling, a chip with an aluminium or copper antenna is a foreign material in paper or plastic streams; small inlays and paper-based labels reduce the issue but do not remove it.

Content also needs ownership. A pack can stay in a household for years, so the link must keep working for the whole product life. And if the brand tracks individual consumers, the usual GDPR rules on consent and transparency apply.

How do you measure connected packaging?

The basic metric is the interaction rate: scans or taps divided by units sold or shipped. Beyond that, brands look at unique versus repeat interactions, which content is used, time spent, conversions such as registrations or reorders, and where interactions happen. Location data can reveal products sold outside their intended market.

With unique identifiers per unit, each interaction can be traced to a batch, a production date or a retailer. Compare results between product lines or between packs with and without the connected element to see what the digital layer adds.

How does Interactive Paper support connected packaging?

Interactive Paper produces NFC-enabled paper cards that ship inside the package as inserts, so a brand can add a tap experience without changing its existing packaging line. Built on the same technology as Interactive Paper Tap, the insert opens a browser experience with video, tutorials, a loyalty sign-up or AR, and no app is needed. Content is managed in the Let’s interact platform and can be updated after the products have shipped.

With Physical AI, an insert can also open an assistant that answers questions about ingredients, sourcing or care for that specific product. Every interaction is recorded in a GDPR-compliant dashboard hosted in the EU.

Frequently asked questions