If every single product on the market has a QR code, the info needs to be hosted online somewhere. How will this impact the calculated energy / environmental cost?

“We anticipate the environmental efficiencies to be way higher than the energy and environmental cost of creating pages”

Brand owners are responsible for hosting the information in their own pages. In some cases, they may be able to repurpose or adapt existing pages. Let’s not forget that in many cases data about products is already on the web.

Neither GS1 nor any one other company would be the keeper of all the data. A decentralised universe of relevant product data is not only the best way to ensure accuracy of data about all of the products…but it’s also the most cost-effective architecture for hosting vast volumes of data.

In any case, we anticipate the environmental efficiencies to be way higher than the energy and environmental cost of creating pages.

• The environmental info in the hands of the consumer accessible with a phone scan will drive greener choices.
• The benefits in terms of reducing food waste and increasing recycling will also be substantial.
• There are brands reducing label space thanks to sharing information with a QR online. There is a case study of a water company in South Korea that eliminated the plastic labels in the water bottles because they added a QR on the bottle cap.
• In case there are changes that are needed on product information, it is way more efficient to do those changes online vs reprinting the products’ label.