{"id":210,"date":"2021-06-21T11:26:39","date_gmt":"2021-06-21T11:26:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/?p=210"},"modified":"2026-01-10T23:39:07","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T23:39:07","slug":"the-state-of-qr-in-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html","title":{"rendered":"The State of QR in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s been said that QR codes are yesterday\u2019s technology. In reality, however, the black and white images were ahead of their time. Today, their usage is growing exponentially.<\/p>\n<p>We learn why as we take a look at the state of QR codes in 2021.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_69_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#QR_Code_Usage_Statistics_in_2021\" title=\"QR Code Usage Statistics in 2021\">QR Code Usage Statistics in 2021<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Recent_QR_Code_Usage_Growth\" title=\"Recent QR Code Usage Growth\">Recent QR Code Usage Growth<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Smart_Product_Usage_Statistics_in_2021\" title=\"Smart Product Usage Statistics in 2021\">Smart Product Usage Statistics in 2021<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Smart_Product_Growth_in_2021\" title=\"Smart Product Growth in 2021\">Smart Product Growth in 2021<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Whats_Different_About_QR_in_2021\" title=\"What\u2019s Different About QR in 2021\">What\u2019s Different About QR in 2021<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#A_Touchless_World\" title=\"A Touchless World\">A Touchless World<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Easy_to_Use\" title=\"Easy to Use\">Easy to Use<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Apple_Opens_Native_QR_Reading\" title=\"Apple Opens Native QR Reading\">Apple Opens Native QR Reading<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Improved_Look\" title=\"Improved Look\">Improved Look<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#QR_Use_Cases_Today\" title=\"QR Use Cases Today\">QR Use Cases Today<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Gamification_of_CPG_Products\" title=\"Gamification of CPG Products\">Gamification of CPG Products<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#QR_Codes_as_a_Payment_Method\" title=\"QR Codes as a Payment Method\">QR Codes as a Payment Method<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Extending_Art_Beyond_Gallery_Walls\" title=\"Extending Art Beyond Gallery Walls\">Extending Art Beyond Gallery Walls<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Mobile_Ticketing\" title=\"Mobile Ticketing\">Mobile Ticketing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#In-Person_Retail\" title=\"In-Person Retail\">In-Person Retail<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Social_Media\" title=\"Social Media\">Social Media<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#Mobile_Coupons\" title=\"Mobile Coupons\">Mobile Coupons<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#QR_in_China\" title=\"QR in China\">QR in China<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#QR_vs_NFC\" title=\"QR vs. NFC\">QR vs. NFC<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\/#How_Does_a_QR_Code_Work\" title=\"How Does a QR Code Work?\">How Does a QR Code Work?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"QR_Code_Usage_Statistics_in_2021\"><\/span>QR Code Usage Statistics in 2021<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Recent_QR_Code_Usage_Growth\"><\/span>Recent QR Code Usage Growth<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-214 size-large\" src=\"http:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-growth-2018-2020-1024x407.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"774\" height=\"308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-growth-2018-2020-1024x407.png 1024w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-growth-2018-2020-300x119.png 300w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-growth-2018-2020-768x306.png 768w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-growth-2018-2020-1536x611.png 1536w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-growth-2018-2020-2048x815.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Looking at Blue Bite\u2019s cumulative data, we see just how much QR code usage has grown in recent years. The 94% growth in the number of interactions from 2018-2020 shows how much more often consumers are scanning QR codes.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s also interesting that the highest growth rate \u2014 98% \u2014 comes from the number of interactions per object. Not only are consumers more accustomed to scanning QR codes generally, they are now more likely to scan a QR code more than once. This all adds to a 96% growth in total QR reach over the same 2018-2020 time period.<\/p>\n<p>For Blue Bite-powered contextual experiences, this means consumers can be presented with different information depending on when they scan and how many times they\u2019ve scanned, keeping them engaged and connected.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Smart_Product_Usage_Statistics_in_2021\"><\/span>Smart Product Usage Statistics in 2021<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Smart_Product_Growth_in_2021\"><\/span>Smart Product Growth in 2021<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"w-richtext-align-fullwidth w-richtext-figure-type-image\" style=\"max-width: 2400pxpx;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-217\" src=\"http:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/smart-product-growth-2021-1024x407.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"774\" height=\"308\" srcset=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/smart-product-growth-2021-1024x407.png 1024w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/smart-product-growth-2021-300x119.png 300w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/smart-product-growth-2021-768x306.png 768w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/smart-product-growth-2021-1536x611.png 1536w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/smart-product-growth-2021-2048x815.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>QR codes are one way to transform products and packaging into smart products, but they aren\u2019t the only connecting technology. To complement our QR statistics, we also wanted to look at our numbers on the growth of a wider group of intelligent products. At <a href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/\">Free-QR<\/a>, we most often work with QR to make products connected, though our platform is technology agnostic.<\/p>\n<p>If businesses are looking to start integrating QR codes into their products or marketing, a simple and effective solution is to use a <a href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\" target=\"_blank\">QR code generator<\/a> that allows quick creation of high-quality codes for various purposes.<\/p>\n<p>Total smart product activations grew 63% and interactions increased 81% from 2018-2020, while the growth in the number of interactions per active object grew 48%. This amounted to total smart product reach growing 92% over the same time period.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Whats_Different_About_QR_in_2021\"><\/span>What\u2019s Different About QR in 2021<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Touchless_World\"><\/span>A Touchless World<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>According to a 2020 MobileIron poll, 83% of respondents have scanned a QR code at least once, and 72% of people have scanned a QR code within the past month. And these numbers are currently rising.<\/p>\n<p>Over half of respondents have seen an increase in QR code usage since the COVID pandemic started, and two-thirds agree that &#8220;QR codes make life easier in a touchless world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Easy_to_Use\"><\/span>Easy to Use<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Part of the reason QR didn\u2019t seem to catch on back around 2010, when it was first starting to be widely used, was the high barrier to entry. Not that many people had smartphones, and those that did often had to download a third party app to read the codes.<\/p>\n<p>Fast forward to 2020, and 81% of U.S. adults have smartphones. And nearly all of them read QR with no third party app required.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Apple_Opens_Native_QR_Reading\"><\/span>Apple Opens Native QR Reading<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With the iOS11 update in 2017, all iPhones became able to read QR codes using the native camera application (rather than a third party app), a big move toward wider QR usage.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"w-richtext-align-center w-richtext-figure-type-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-223\" src=\"http:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/apple-qr-code-juniper-research-1024x742.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"774\" height=\"561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/apple-qr-code-juniper-research-1024x742.png 1024w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/apple-qr-code-juniper-research-300x217.png 300w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/apple-qr-code-juniper-research-768x556.png 768w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/apple-qr-code-juniper-research-1536x1113.png 1536w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/apple-qr-code-juniper-research-2048x1484.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>Foye\u2019s report predicted the growth this spurs will continue: \u201cJuniper therefore believes that QR codes could see a rapid increase in nations outside of Asia, as more consumers have streamlined access to them.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improved_Look\"><\/span>Improved Look<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Most know QR as the little black and white squares. This isn\u2019t a bad thing, as it equates to high awareness for the codes. But the design options for QR extend far beyond those parameters and can incorporate additional colors and designs.<\/p>\n<p>Brands now bring unique and creative designs to QR codes they place on their products and packaging that better fit their brand look. See some examples of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hongkiat.com\/blog\/qr-code-artworks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">creative QR designs here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"QR_Use_Cases_Today\"><\/span>QR Use Cases Today<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gamification_of_CPG_Products\"><\/span>Gamification of CPG Products<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bluebite.com\/case-studies\/intersnack\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Intersnack added QR codes<\/a> to their funny-frisch potato chip brand packaging that launched a personalized gamified experience that kept consumers engaged and coming back for more products.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"QR_Codes_as_a_Payment_Method\"><\/span>QR Codes as a Payment Method<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>QR codes are already an extremely popular payment method in China, and is growing in popularity around the world.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;WeChat\u2014which is predominantly used in China\u2014made the nation obsessed with QR Codes in the last few years,&#8221; according to <a href=\"https:\/\/scanova.io\/blog\/qr-code-statistics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Scanova<\/a>. &#8220;The Chinese scan QR codes to make payments, get information, authenticate themselves, avail offers and practically every other use case.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>36% have used QR codes as a payment method, with 53% saying they would use QR codes as a payment method in the future.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Extending_Art_Beyond_Gallery_Walls\"><\/span>Extending Art Beyond Gallery Walls<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Distinguished art gallery L\u00e9vy Gorvy has added NFC to a number of their exhibitions to extend them beyond the gallery walls and bring more information to their visitors.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"w-richtext-align-fullwidth w-richtext-figure-type-image\" style=\"max-width: 300pxpx;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-228\" src=\"http:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-interaction-rate-1-1024x362.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"774\" height=\"274\" srcset=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-interaction-rate-1-1024x362.png 1024w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-interaction-rate-1-300x106.png 300w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-interaction-rate-1-768x271.png 768w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-interaction-rate-1-1536x543.png 1536w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-interaction-rate-1-2048x724.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>For example, when the gallery launched the \u201cWarhol Women\u201d exhibition, QR codes on the information cards next to the artwork allowed consumers to experience the gallery in a new way when it launched a Spotify playlist specific to the gallery floor. The smart gallery saw an interaction rate of 16%, keeping visitors engaged even after they left, at which point the experience displayed different information offering additional information about the exhibition.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mobile_Ticketing\"><\/span>Mobile Ticketing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Mobile ticketing with QR codes now helps a variety of events eliminate the need for paper tickets. Consumers simply present their phone displaying the QR code to enter. Because QR codes are versatile, the same code can also be printed on a piece of paper or traditional ticket to grant entry.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"In-Person_Retail\"><\/span>In-Person Retail<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>QR isn\u2019t just online. Retailers are using QR to bring entirely new and innovative <a href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/features\/google-business-review-qr-code\">business<\/a> models to consumers.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"w-richtext-align-fullwidth w-richtext-figure-type-image\" style=\"max-width: 288pxpx;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-231\" src=\"http:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-code-use-at-amazon-go-1024x534.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"774\" height=\"404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-code-use-at-amazon-go-1024x534.png 1024w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-code-use-at-amazon-go-300x156.png 300w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-code-use-at-amazon-go-768x400.png 768w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-code-use-at-amazon-go-1536x801.png 1536w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-code-use-at-amazon-go-2048x1068.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>One of the most well-known is Amazon Go, which is a particularly powerful use of QR. Consumers scan a QR code upon entering the store, and then any items they leave the store with are charged to their Amazon account automatically \u2014 no checkout required.<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Social_Media\"><\/span>Social Media<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>Juniper media points out that social media can have a large impact in QR usage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJuniper notes how social media can be used to rapidly engage consumers \u2014 messaging platforms, such as Snapchat, which has over 173 million daily active users, have sought to utilize QR codes for this purpose,\u201d writes the research company in their report \u201cCoupons: 3 New Technologies Set to Energize Loyalty.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSnapchat launched \u2018Snapcodes\u2019 via a January 2017 update, which enabled users to create personalized QR codes to link to any website. This feature could allow retailers to use social media as a tool to drive consumers to a particular web or product page, hence pushing offers directly to customers.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mobile_Coupons\"><\/span>Mobile Coupons<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n<figure class=\"w-richtext-align-fullwidth w-richtext-figure-type-image\" style=\"max-width: 300pxpx;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-234\" src=\"http:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-coupon-use-1024x220.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"774\" height=\"166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-coupon-use-1024x220.png 1024w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-coupon-use-300x65.png 300w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-coupon-use-768x165.png 768w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-coupon-use-1536x330.png 1536w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-coupon-use-2048x440.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>A new study from Juniper Research has found that the number of QR code coupons redeemed via mobile will reach 5.3 billion by 2022, up from an estimated 1.3 billion in 2017.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"QR_in_China\"><\/span>QR in China<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<figure class=\"w-richtext-align-fullwidth w-richtext-figure-type-image\" style=\"max-width: 300pxpx;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-235\" src=\"http:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-use-in-china-1024x220.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"774\" height=\"166\" srcset=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-use-in-china-1024x220.png 1024w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-use-in-china-300x65.png 300w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-use-in-china-768x165.png 768w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-use-in-china-1536x330.png 1536w, https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/qr-use-in-china-2048x440.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 774px) 100vw, 774px\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>QR has taken off more quickly in China, leaving the rest of the world just now catching up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJuniper does however recognize the success of this technology in Far East &amp; China, with over 40% of QR coupon redemptions due to stem from this region by 2022.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"QR_vs_NFC\"><\/span>QR vs. NFC<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Though they can be used for some of the many applications, QR is not always interchangeable with Near Field Communication (NFC). QR is not better or worse than NFC, but it can serve different use cases.<\/p>\n<p>Blue Bite powers dynamic, personalized digital experiences that can be launched when customers scan QR, NFC or other connecting technologies. When we work with CPG brands that enable millions of objects on lower cost items, QR may be the best choice since they add no expense when they are printed on the packaging.<\/p>\n<p>NFC, though, is uniquely suited for other uses. For example, we power authentication services for luxury brands by leveraging NFC tags embedded in products. Embedding the NFC makes it nearly impossible for would-be counterfeiters to access tags, bringing peace of mind to consumers that know they are purchasing an authentic item, whether it be from the brand, from a retailer or the secondhand market.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_a_QR_Code_Work\"><\/span>How Does a QR Code Work?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A Quick Response (QR) code is a matrix barcode (also known as a two dimensional barcode) that can hold more information than traditional barcodes. Consumers scan the codes with their phones \u2014 usually using the camera app \u2014 to activate the information they contain.<\/p>\n<p>We work with brands that add QR codes to digitalize their products and packaging, using them to launch <a href=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/features\/dynamic-url-qr-code\">dynamic<\/a>, personalized digital experiences that add value to their products.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s been said that QR codes are yesterday\u2019s technology. In reality, however, the black and white images were ahead of&#46;&#46;&#46;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The State of QR in 2021 - BLOG<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Updated QR code stats and exploration of QR usage today.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The State of QR in 2021 - BLOG\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Updated QR code stats and exploration of QR usage today.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BLOG\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-06-21T11:26:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-10T23:39:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/The-State-of-QR-in-2021.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1260\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"freeqrbloger\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"freeqrbloger\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/free-qr.com\/blog\/the-state-of-qr-in-2021.html\",\"name\":\"The State of QR in 2021 - 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