Nestlé to use QR codes for nutrition, environment information

Consumers in the United Kingdom will be the first to benefit from a new global initiative by Nestlé…

Consumers in the United Kingdom will be the first to benefit from a new global initiative by Nestlé to give people instant access to information about the nutritional profile and environmental and social impacts of its products.

Anyone who buys a multi-pack of two-finger Kit Kat chocolate bars in the UK and Ireland will be able to find out more about what they are made of, how they fit into a balanced diet and lifestyle, and how they were produced, just by scanning the packaging with a smartphone.

The Kit Kat multi-packs will carry a Quick Response (QR) code that will take consumers to digital sites where they can find more detailed information about the product than would normally be available on a pack.

Nestlé plans to roll out the QR codes across its product portfolio in both emerging and developed markets to help people make more informed choices about what to purchase or consume.

“We hope that consumers, wherever they are in the world, will use these QR codes to learn more about our products,” said Patrice Bula, Nestlé’s head of strategic business units, marketing and sales. “We have a wealth of information about the nutritional value and the environmental and social impacts of what we produce, and it makes sense to share that with consumers.”

Consumers who scan the QR code on a Nestlé product will be able to obtain additional information relating to how the product fits into a healthy lifestyle, including portion guidance, recipe ideas, and its role in a balanced diet.

They will also be able to access facts about its impacts, such as how much water or energy is used in its entire life cycle.

Seven years ago, Nestlé says that it became the first company to introduce a ‘nutritional compass’ on its packaging, designed to be an informative guide to help consumers choose between products.

The majority of codes will appear on packs on a space within the Nestlé nutritional compass, which is already present on 97% of the company's products worldwide.