As a journalist trained to embrace shorthand when taking notes, I still can be found using a notebook and pen taking notes during interviews and at tradeshows. However, I have to admit that booth exhibitors that feature a QR code on the prototype info sheets have helped minimize the amount of paper I’ve needed to lug home.

The knowledge gained from QR codes, might be helpful in terms of tradeshows, but digital connections, including QR codes, are becoming more important in today’s fast-moving packaged goods (FMCG) market.

In partnership with Polytag and Digimarc, Appetite Creative recently released results from its fourth annual Global Connected Packaging Survey 2025, which found that 88.8% of respondents believe that connected packaging will increasingly be important to the packaging industry in the next 12 months and beyond.

The survey suggests that respondents already see the value of connected packaging with 72.6% of companies currently using the solutions; however, this is a drop from 82% reported in 2024.

In terms of the value that connected packaging offers, 66.7% stated that it encourages customer loyalty through personalization, while 59.1% indicated that it facilitates direct communication with consumers. Additionally, approximately half (50.6%) stated it provides actionable data for marketing and product decisions, meanwhile 50% reported that gamification proves valuable for engaging with younger audiences.

The survey also shows companies are shifting from single-technology to multi-technology approaches. For instance, 42.3% reported using QR codes combined with NFC technology, compared with individual use of QR codes at 32.1% and NFC tags at 22.1%. Meanwhile the use of serialized QR codes was noted by 66.1% of respondents, up from 64.6% in 2024, indicating growing sophistication in deployment strategies, the companies share.

“We’re seeing the connected packaging market mature, with companies taking a more strategic and sophisticated approach to implementation,” said Jenny Stanley, managing director at Appetite Creative, in a statement. “While there are adjustments in investment levels, the increased adoption of multi-technology solutions, alongside the growing focus on consumer loyalty and sustainability, indicates connected packaging is evolving from a purely marketing tool into a comprehensive business solution. The rise in gamification adoption and the sustained interest in serialized QR codes reflect an industry that’s becoming more nuanced in how it engages with consumers and leverages technology for business value.”

In terms of the industries that have adopted the use of connected packaging, FMCG leads the list with 36.9% with marketing/advertising and retail rounding out the Top 3 with 36% and 21.8%, respectively.

As beverage-makers search for ways to engage with today’s consumers it looks as though connected packaging is being seen as a solution decision-makers are eager to embrace.