Data carrier

What is a data carrier?

Every data carrier does the same basic job: it stores a short piece of data that a device can read automatically, so that nobody has to type in a number. Usually that data is an identifier, such as a product number with a serial number, or a web address that leads to more information. The carrier itself holds very little. The real content sits in a database or on a website the identifier points to.

The term has a legal meaning in the EU. The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) defines a data carrier as a linear bar code symbol, a two-dimensional symbol or other automatic identification data capture medium that can be read by a device. It is the physical link to the Digital Product Passport.

Which types of data carriers exist?

Data carriers fall into two families: optical carriers, which are printed and read by a camera or scanner, and radio carriers, which contain a chip and are read by a radio field.

• Linear bar codes (EAN/UPC): the classic retail code. They carry a product number (GTIN) but no serial number, so every unit of a product looks the same.
• QR codes (ISO/IEC 18004): two-dimensional, can hold a full web address and are read by any smartphone camera. Cheap to print, but they need a clear line of sight and can be copied.
• Data Matrix (ISO/IEC 16022): a compact 2D code widely used for serialisation in industry and on medicine packs.
• NFC (13.56 MHz): a chip and antenna read by tapping a phone from a few centimetres. Can be hidden inside paper or packaging; secure chip types can prove they are genuine. See NFC tag.
• UHF RFID (around 860 to 960 MHz): read by dedicated readers over several metres and many at once, ideal for logistics and inventory. Smartphones cannot read it.
• Digital watermarks: codes hidden in the printed image or texture, invisible to the eye and read by a camera with suitable software.

Where are data carriers required by regulation?

Several EU rules already require a data carrier on the product. Since 9 February 2019, most prescription medicines in the EU carry two safety features under the Falsified Medicines Directive: a unique identifier in a Data Matrix code (with product code, serial number, batch and expiry date) and an anti-tampering device on the pack. Pharmacies verify the code against a central repository before dispensing.

Under the EU Batteries Regulation, LMT batteries, industrial batteries above 2 kWh and electric vehicle batteries placed on the market from 18 February 2027 need a battery passport, accessed through a QR code on the battery. Under the ESPR, the same principle will apply to further product groups as their delegated acts are adopted. Article 10 of the ESPR requires that the data carrier is physically present on the product, its packaging or accompanying documentation and links to a persistent unique product identifier. The regulation does not prescribe one technology; the choice of carrier is set per product group.

How do you choose the right data carrier?

The right carrier depends on who needs to read it, with which device, and what it has to prove. A few questions settle most cases:

• Who reads it? Consumers have smartphones, which read QR codes and NFC. Warehouses and recyclers may use fixed readers, which favours RFID or Data Matrix.
• Is there space and a printable surface? A QR code needs visible area and contrast. An NFC chip can sit invisibly inside a label, a card or between layers of board.
• Does it have to resist copying? A printed code can be photographed and reprinted. A secure NFC chip that signs every read is far harder to clone, which matters for NFC authentication.
• What may it cost? A printed code adds almost nothing to the unit cost. A chip adds a visible cost per item, which is easier to justify on higher-value products.
• How long must it work? Both printed codes and passive chips can last for years, but abrasion, washing, metal surfaces and heat need testing.

How do you measure the use of a data carrier?

A data carrier that leads to a web address can be measured on the server that answers it. If each carrier holds a unique identifier, every scan or tap can be traced to a product, batch or individual unit. Typical figures are scans or taps per unit shipped, repeat use, time of use after purchase, country and device, and the actions taken afterwards. If the address goes through a redirect, the destination can change after printing without touching the carrier. The difference in user behaviour between the two consumer carriers is covered in QR code vs. NFC.

Which data carriers does Interactive Paper use?

Interactive Paper works mainly with NFC, embedded in paper and board rather than stuck on. In Tap and Tap Premium, a chip between the layers of a card or mailing opens a browser experience with a tap. QR codes are used where reach and unit cost matter more than the experience, and the two can be combined on one piece so that every phone has a way in.

Each piece can carry its own identifier, and every interaction runs through the Let’s interact platform, which records it and lets the content be updated after printing. For product labels and packaging, Interactive Paper runs its NFC label brand NFC XR. In mailings, the same approach makes print measurable, as described under interactive direct mail.

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