Ocado to use Polytag QR code technology

Polytag, one of the leading technology businesses specializing in sustainability initiatives, has bolstered its partnership with Ocado Retail, one of the biggest online supermarket chains in the UK, which has expanded the use of Polytag QR technology to more than 60 product ranges.

Over 60 of Ocado’s food, drink and household product ranges now feature Polytag’s Digital Link QR codes, empowering consumers to delve deeper into product information and sustainability practices with a simple scan.

The expanded range of Polytag-enabled packaging follows the success of the project Polytag ran with Ocado Retail in 2023 to deliver a nationwide digital deposit return scheme (DDRS) trial. Over eight weeks, 20,000 20-pence rewards were given to consumers who had purchased and recycled Ocado's milk bottles via standard kerbside collection methods. Post-trial surveys revealed that 93 percent of the pilot users felt ‘positively’ towards the idea of a DDRS in the UK.

The initiative will now see the UK’s online grocer package dry food and cleaning products in refillable containers to reduce single-use plastic and encourage reuse behaviors. Polytag’s QR codes will be used to educate customers on how to take part in the refill scheme and return their products.

Polytag's QR codes provide brands and retailers with a national direct-to-consumer marketing channel. Once customers scan the codes with their smartphones, they are taken to a landing page with bespoke and specific information on the product.

Ocado Retail uses the regularly updated bespoke landing pages to dynamically engage with and educate its customers on key sustainability topics such as sourcing initiatives, recycling and food waste prevention. The landing page technology also supports links, videos and surveys.

Laura Fernandez, senior packaging and sustainability manager at Ocado Retail, said: ‘We are proud to be the first major supermarket to pilot an online reusable packaging scheme. Polytag’s QR codes give us the opportunity to explain how re-using can eliminate single-use packaging and how easy and convenient the Ocado solution is, right to their doors. We continue to expand the number of Ocado Own Range products featuring Polytag QR codes, reflecting our growing focus on digital solutions to communicate key information and messaging to our customers.’

Alice Rackley, CEO of Polytag, added: ‘Surpassing 60 products with Ocado Retail - including its new refillable options - is a step forward in making sustainable shopping more accessible. By integrating our Digital Link QR codes, powered by GS1, we’re providing new ways to quantify the success of sustainability programs and enabling the reuse process all through accurate tracing of packaging through the supply chain.

‘Our world-first trial in 2023 was just the beginning of all of this. As the largest deployer of GS1-powered QR codes in the UK grocery market, Ocado has found our platform easy to integrate, enhancing its packaging design with endless digital possibilities. We’re beyond proud to support Ocado Retail in delivering both convenience and an impactful sustainability message.’

Anne Godfrey, CEO of GS1, commented: ‘Improving the way we recycle is not merely a regulatory requirement; it is a vital component of our shared responsibility to protect the planet. By adopting GS1 standards and QR codes powered by GS1, businesses can lead the charge in transforming recycling into an efficient, user-friendly process that aligns with consumer needs.

‘Our collaboration with Polytag illustrates how innovative thinking and powerful partnerships can lead to actionable solutions in the ongoing challenge of packaging waste. As we look ahead, the insights gained from this pilot will be instrumental in shaping the future of recycling, driving us closer to a more circular economy where sustainability is integral to consumer choices.’