FAQ Friday · Issue 07 · August 7, 2026 · 3 min read · QR Codes
Do QR codes on print actually get scanned?
The short answer
More than ever — when you give people a reason. The old excuse for ignoring a code (needing a special app) is gone: every phone now scans straight from the camera. So codes get scanned far more than they did five years ago — but only when the reader knows what they will get.
By the numbers
- About half of Gen Z and Millennial consumers use a QR code at least weekly — 49% and 51% respectively
- 68% of U.S. adults surveyed had used a QR code at least once in the past year
- GS1 is targeting the end of 2027 to replace the retail barcode itself with a QR code, already testing in 48 countries
- Zero apps required — every phone (iOS 11+, Android 9+) scans straight from the camera
- No independent, published scan rate exists for print QR codes — vendor figures of 18%, 26% and 38% all come from companies measuring codes they sold
- Below about one inch square, scan reliability drops — test iOS and Android before the run
Sources: TEAM LEWIS Research, survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, 2024; GS1 Sunrise 2027
One honest catch
A code needs a reason to scan. "Scan me" does nothing; "Scan for 15% off" or "Scan to book" does. A code that resolves to your homepage has broken the promise it just made.
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