QR codes are an increasingly common sight, and their use is increasing year by year. But what are the numbers behind this growth, and how do they change from country to country?
In Asia, and particularly in China, QRs are everywhere: thanks to a strong push by the WeChat App, the magic square has become commonplace for payments, website visits, contactless interactions, and more. However, things are also changing outside China, particularly by us in Europe and our American friends.
QR Code: Usage Statistics
A 2019 Statista report estimated that 11 million U.S. households would scan a QR code in 2020, while there were only 9.78 million in 2018, while in 2019 in Europe 25-30% of the population routinely used QR codes. In this scenario, Italy emerges as the third largest country in Europe in terms of use of this technology.
Then came the pandemic. We are well aware of how 2020 has changed our lives (and 2021 doesn’t seem to be giving us any respite), but this upheaval has also had strong effects on the use of QR codes: the latest statistics tell us that in Europe and the UK 82% of the population knows how to scan a QR code, and over 40% of the population does so on a weekly basis.
No wonder. Anyone who has gone to restaurants for lunch since the pandemic broke out knows that knowing how to scan a QR code has now become necessary, even if only to read the digital menu. This factor, although born out of a tragic context, has allowed QR code marketing to reach new levels of effectiveness.
QR Code Demographics.
But who scans the QR codes? How does this habit vary with age? See below data from a study conducted in 2015 by Scanlife:
We first see a lower percentage among younger people, and this may seem strange to us: young people are better with technology! But this data reveals to us a key piece of information, which is that those scanning QR codes are adults who are responsible for personal or family purchases. In fact, research shows that the majority of users are between the ages of 24 and 54, with the highest usage between the ages of 34 and 44.If your customer base is in this range, you should consider using QRs even more seriously in your communication strategy.
If QR codes interest you and you want to learn more, follow QualityChain on our social channels.
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About QualityChain
QualityChain helps Italian agribusiness SMEs transform their products from simple exhibits to true digital experiences capable of enhancing their uniqueness. QualityChain is a transparent, smartphone-friendly space in which to share with consumers the history and values of small Italian producers, a showcase from which to observe the skilled hands that work the land, the wine, the bread, and everything good that our companies produce.
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