Tesco is replacing traditional barcodes with QR codes on a selection of its own-brand meat products, in what it says is a UK supermarket first.
It said the move will give shoppers easier access to more detailed product information, while also helping retailers improve traceability, tighten stock control and reduce unnecessary food waste.
The new QR codes are being introduced across a range of Tesco own-label sausages, including Tesco Pork Sausages, Tesco Pork Chipolatas, Tesco British Pork Sausage Meat, Tesco British Cumberland Sausages and Tesco British Lincolnshire Sausages.
Customers will be able to scan the codes using their smartphones to access information such as nutritional content and product traceability.
Tesco said the technology could also be used in future to unlock recipe ideas, competitions and other digital content linked to specific products.
The rollout forms part of a wider industry shift led by global barcode standards body GS1, which is pushing for a broader adoption of QR codes across retail by 2027.
Tesco said it’s a significant step forward for the sector, offering a more precise way to manage product recalls and reduce waste.
Unlike traditional barcodes, QR codes can hold much more detailed information, including batch-specific data. That means retailers could identify and isolate affected items more accurately in the event of a recall, rather than removing all products within a category from sale.
Tesco added that the codes could eventually allow retailers to stop the sale of impacted batches at checkout and directly contact customers who may have bought them.
Tesco development and change director Peter Draper said: “For customers, this is a tiny and almost invisible change at the checkout, but for the retail industry, it’s a significant step forward.
“Over time, this opens up exciting possibilities, such as personalised digital tools to help customers manage the food they buy and reduce waste at home.”
Tesco described the switch as one of the most significant changes to retail technology in decades, as many supermarkets are aiming to modernise product information systems and improve transparency for shoppers.
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