Pernod Ricard has announced that it intends to broaden its existing program of QR codes used to fight the problem of counterfeit products, sending it into the African and South American Markets.
The French company’s spirits have been labeled in China in the first wave of the program that used QR codes on approximately 25 million bottles, so far. There are already about 2,500 to 3,000 different distributions throughout that Asian country that are already taking part in this program with Pernod Ricard.
The quick response codes have been used by the company in China since last year. Consumers simply use their smartphones or tablets to scan the barcode and they can be certain that they have the genuine article as opposed to a counterfeit product.
The head of digital marketing at Pernod, Antonia McCahon, explained that “there are other countries looking at it, especially in emerging markets. Some South America markets are interested and eventually Africa as well”. She went on to explain that it isn’t likely that developed markets would be taking part in this QR barcodes program, simply “because the counterfeit issue is not as pressing”.
The use of the QR codes, said McCahon, can also allow the company to identify the locations where counterfeit bottles are most frequently sold.
