Tesco to ditch barcodes on certain products as UK supermarket giant hails ‘revolutionary’ move
Tesco is replacing barcodes with QR codes across its entire range of own-label products, in what it claims is the first for a UK supermarket.
The nation’s largest grocer praised the move as “one of the most revolutionary retail advances in decades” and promised customers instant access to rich product information via their smartphones.
The change will see QR codes applied to 13 of Tesco’s own branded sausage ranges, including Tesco Pork Sausages, Tesco Pork Sausages, Tesco British Pork Sausages, British Cumberland Sausages and British Lincolnshire Sausages.
This initiative aligns with a broader industry shift led by GS1, the global barcode standards body, which has set a target for retailers and manufacturers to adopt QR codes.
These codes can provide customers with additional product information such as nutritional content, traceability, recipes and contests.
Tesco said adopting the new rules would give it better information about products in stores, helping it order more accurately, improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary waste.
In the event of a product recall, QR codes will allow retailers to identify specific batches rather than removing entire products, preventing unnecessary disposal of products and increasing availability.
Retailers will also be able to block sales of affected products at checkout and contact customers who may have purchased them.
Peter Draper, Tesco director of development and change, said: “For customers this is a small and almost invisible change at checkout, but for the retail industry it is a significant step forward.
“The move to QR codes will help us reduce food waste, improve stock control and unlock new digital benefits for our customers.
“Customers will continue to shop and pay in the same way, but they will have the option to access much richer information about the products they purchase using their smartphones.
“Over time, this opens up exciting possibilities, such as personalized digital tools to help customers manage the food they buy and reduce waste at home.”
Anne Godfrey, CEO of GS1 UK, said: “Tesco’s move to QR codes powered by GS1 across its entire range of products marks a significant step forward for the UK retail industry.
“This shows how next-generation barcodes can support a more connected and transparent future. We hope this progress will encourage others to follow Tesco’s lead so consumers and businesses can benefit from richer, more reliable product information.”
