QR Codes vs. Barcodes- Briefly Differentiated

With growing consumers’ concerns about the quality and safety of the products they purchase, manufacturers are trying every possible measure to ensure security to the buyers. Product verification tools such as QR codes and Barcodes which are embedded with unique identity are doing rounds in the market and intensively driving the consumer buying behavior. But how are these two techniques helping brands and which of these two are reliable? This remains a big question mark to many. To understand it better let’s discuss the working mechanism, usability, and differences between the two.

Basic Introduction

Quick Reading (QR) codes are two-dimensional codes that can store an immense amount of information within them. The set of information is entirely customizable and is beyond the usual information such as the manufacturing date, expiry date.

On the other hand, barcodes are often regarded as black vertical lines with a number below it. They are also referred to as the visual representation of machine-readable information presented on a product. These parallel black lines termed as Barcode store information about the product which can only be read by a barcode reader.

Application Scope

Barcodes are used for labeling raw materials and fully furnished products in order to help the manufacturers and organizations to easily analyze the stock availability in the inventory. With the use of barcode readers, products could be tracked at various selling points. Thus, allowing easy track and record maintenance helping organizations to trace the inventory stocks.

While the machine-readable information stored in QR codes includes product details such as manufacturing date, expiry date, SKU details, etc. that help the consumers know about the product better. Besides, they allow companies in keeping a track of product movement across the supply chain. It offers ease of primary, secondary and tertiary linking which allows the companies at any point decode the path followed by the product to reach a customer. Thus, facilitating easier detection of counterfeit cases. Furthermore, it offers the ease of access to the consumers, as they do not require a QR code readers, you can simply use your mobile or any mobile application to access the information stored within the code. Apart from the manufacturing industry, QR codes are benefitting other industries by allowing companies to track and trace their entire supply chain.

Bottom-line: QR Codes vs. Barcodes

Both the QR codes and Barcodes have their unique usability. However, when compared, QR codes turn out to be more efficient and preferable than barcodes owing to the following advantages:

• A QR code with dimensions 101x101 can store data up to 3248 bits or 406 bytes whereas standard barcodes can store a maximum of 20–25 characters. Also, the barcodes can store information only in one direction whereas the QR codes are can store information in both horizontal and vertical directions
• QR codes are cost-efficient than barcodes with no additional cost of reading machine
• QR codes accessible by consumers help in roping more and more buyers and building trust for the brand
• QR codes can be easily scanned from a distance, whereas the barcode reading machine must be kept very close to the barcode in order to make it readable
• QR codes are a space-saving solution that store all the additional information about the product, whereas barcodes stores limited data but acquire much larger space leaving lesser space for branding
• Limited information storage minimizes the scope of barcodes, leaving it usable for inventory purposes only while QR codes have a wide range of application across various industries

Offering advantages of their own kind, both the data technologies are ruling the world. However, the close comparison of both technologies unveils that the QR code comprising 2-dimensional data is better among the two. Storing more information and covering lesser space alongside the advantage of easily readable information, are set to become the prominent factors that will replace barcodes in the coming times.