Eager marketers are increasingly plastering the mobile barcodes on print ads and product packaging, but it appears a lack of awareness is preventing similar levels of enthusiasm among consumers. Of those quizzed by market research agency Simpson Carpenter, 43 per cent revealed they had never even seen a QR code. A further 21 per cent admitted that despite recognising the codes they are unaware of their purpose.
Opinion on the worth of QR codes was divided among the 11 per cent of consumers who reported using them. Almost half, at 47 per cent, said they find them very useful and expressed a desire to see them more widely adopted, 33 per cent think they are useful in certain instances, while 20 per cent don’t see any tangible advantage.
The greatest barrier to adoption for those familiar with QR codes is a lack of the necessary technological capability via a smartphone or tablet – this was an issue for 52 per cent of respondents. Other obstacles to adoption include not having seen a QR code for a website they are interested in (15 per cent) and considering other ways of reaching a website to be simpler, quicker and more efficient (11 per cent).
The research was carried out online, meaning its respondents are heavily engaged with the internet, says Simpson Carpenter director of major studies Kevin Connolly. “They aren’t necessarily early adopters but they certainly aren’t technophobes and they are no doubt the target audience for many brands already using QR codes,” he says. “Marketers would do well to focus on educating and informing consumers about their purpose rather than simply adding QR codes to their products and advertising campaigns.”
Though access to enabling technology is limiting adoption, there may be a brighter future ahead for QR codes. NeoMedia chief executive Laura Marriot says, “Barcode readers are becoming more commonplace in app stores and more frequently pre-installed on handsets. Although there is still some way to go with the integration of scanning software on all handset types we are certainly getting to a stage at which operators recognise demand in the market.”
Though adoption and awareness of QR codes in the UK is currently low, widespread use in the future is not implausible. “The Japanese market has proved that mass adoption is possible and that 2D barcodes are well suited to universal marketing campaigns,” says Charterhouse head of technology Tim Ingram-Smith. “For years the Japanese have been using QR codes on a huge range of products, from clothing to food and across various media.”
The online study by Simpson Carpenter had 794 respondents.
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