When QR codes first launched there was a buzz around them – how could this thing printed on paper connect to your phone? The excitement around them was short-lived though, with QR codes all but dying out within a few years – until 2020.
There is no doubt that QR codes have made a huge comeback thanks to the pandemic. But with the number of people being asked to self-isolate growing every day, are we going to see a sudden disappearance of QR codes like the first time, or are they here to stay?
The Use of QR Codes
In the past year, QR codes have become part of our everyday life – they’ve gone from something that very few people understood to complete mainstream and a daily part of life. QR codes have been used to check into establishments, order food or drinks, to make reservations or even to pay your bill. Thanks to
“Pinggate” there has been a decline in the number of people scanning to check-in at establishments, simply because they don’t want to run the risk of being asked to isolate. Even the casino industry is catching on with some online casinos offering QR code payment options.
In July 2021 the requirement to check-in at a restaurant was downgraded to a recommendation and while the government have yet to release any data to suggest a reduction in the number of check-ins, many UK news outlets have reported that ministers fear users are deleting the app to avoid being pinged.
Despite there not being any publicly available data about the use of check-in QR codes after the change in regulations, the UK government have released data from a survey about the general use of the app. A preliminary YouGov poll found that 10% of Brits have downloaded but later deleted the Track and Trace app. In addition to this, 31% of people never downloaded the app despite owning a smartphone. The poll also found that 20% of those who currently have the app on their phone have turned off the contact tracing functionality. In addition to this a third of users have admitted to avoiding check-ins at least once. This does lead to doubt that checking in at various establishments will see any kind of longevity, apart from potentially in hospitals or other medical services in order to protect the most vulnerable members of society.
The Increased Popularity of QR Codes
While the number of those using QR codes for contact tracing and check-ins have most likely declined, there’s been a huge rise in using QR codes for convenience. At the start of the pandemic, there were concerns over handing out menus which led restaurants to turn to disposable paper menus or the more eco-friendly option of providing a QR code for guests to read the menu on their phone. Throughout the pandemic, these QR code menus have seen a huge rise in popularity, overtaking paper menus in some areas.
Some companies have taken it one step further by creating apps that can be accessed and downloaded by scanning a QR code. This app is then used to order and pay for any food or drinks. Wetherspoons have had this feature in place for several years, but it’s only because of the pandemic that we’ve seen an increase in the availability of these apps when dining with smaller businesses. One company, Pixel Mobile Apps Limited, has created apps that allow customers to order takeaways for collection or delivery as well as dine-in options in 100 different towns and cities across the UK. The Swansea Eats app alone has seen over 5000 downloads. While QR code check-ins are likely to decrease, the convenience of in-app ordering means that QR codes are likely to become a mainstay of the hospitality industry.
What Are Consumers Saying?
While QR codes still feel relatively new to consumers, they’re not only used to check into restaurants or order food. The advertising industry has used QR codes for several years with varying levels of success. The codes are added to advertisements with the idea that customers can get more information if they engage with the content. They were largely ignored until 2020, but familiarisation with QR codes because of the pandemic may lead to an increase in them being used.
QR codes have also seen a rise in popularity in the manufacturing as they take up less space but can hold more information. General Motors recently swapped their Service Parts Identification labels for QR codes as a more reliable way to access information.
We are most certainly starting to see QR codes pop up more in everyday life. For example, with many apps now people can scan your QR code in order to add you as a friend – no need for them to have to type in any long or complicated user names.
QR codes may have been introduced to many of us during the pandemic and the recent headlines of the “pingdemic” won’t have helped people to feel comfortable using them all the time. However, as we start to see them used more in everyday life for more than just pinging us if we’re deemed at risk from Corona we are likely to see them increase in popularity. As with anything new, the public will be dubious at first but are likely to be much more familiar with seeing them around than they once were.
There’s no doubt that QR codes have become a big part of our lives throughout the pandemic, but there really is no way of telling if they’re here to stay or if this a second wave of the original fad we saw a decade ago. It’s definitely possible that they will be here to stay now that so many people are familiar with them, but only time will tell. However, brands are likely to want them to stick around and as such, will certainly be helping to push their popularity amongst consumers.
