Comparison
QR vs NFC for Digital Product Passports
QR codes and NFC tags are the two ESPR-acceptable data carriers for a Digital Product Passport. They're not actually competing — most serious programmes ship both. Here's when each one earns its place.
Side by side
Dimension
QR code
NFC tag
Cost per item
QR code
Effectively zero — printed in the existing label run.NFC tag
€0.05–€0.50 per item depending on chip, antenna and encoding.Consumer UX
QR code
Open camera, scan. Universal across phones, laptops and POS scanners.NFC tag
Tap. Best UX of any carrier — but the consumer needs to know it's there.Tamper-evidence
QR code
None. A printed QR can be photographed, cloned or replaced.NFC tag
Available. Tamper-evident NFC chips break the loop on first opening — fundamental for spirits and luxury.Regulatory acceptance
QR code
Explicitly named in every confirmed DPP regulation.NFC tag
Also accepted, on the same footing.Works in production lines
QR code
Trivial. Printed on existing labels, verified with a vision system.NFC tag
Needs encoding step on-line and an antenna location plan.Best fit
QR code
Default for everything. Mandatory baseline.NFC tag
High-value items where authentication, anti-counterfeit or first-open detection matter.Our verdict
QR is the mandatory baseline; NFC is the value-add. Premium and regulated categories ship both, resolving through the same GS1 Digital Link.
Start with GS1 Digital Link QR on every SKU. Add NFC on the items where authentication or first-open detection genuinely changes the economics.
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