Japan’s use of QR codes and RFID highlights how packaging design, print quality and label integration can support product traceability. A Japanese food manufacturer’s approach offers practical lessons for converters and brand owners developing smarter packaging.
Packaging is becoming an important point of connection between physical products and digital supply chain information. A printed code on a corrugated case can identify a product and its batch, while an electronic tag on a pallet can link multiple cases to handling and shipment records.
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For packaging converters, this creates opportunities beyond producing boxes, labels and other packaging formats. They can help customers integrate identification into packaging design, select suitable printing and labelling methods, and ensure that codes remain readable throughout production, storage and distribution.
Japanese cheese manufacturer Rokko Butter provides a practical example. In a case study published in April 2024, GS1 Japan describes how the company combined QR codes printed on corrugated cases with electronic identifiers on pallets to support traceability from its Kobe factory to distribution depots.
The application illustrates a central principle for the packaging industry: smart packaging works best when its physical design, identification technology and associated data systems are developed together.
Packaging design starts with the identification task
Smart packaging covers a range of technologies, but digital identification is one of its most accessible applications. QR codes and electronic tags can connect packs, cases and pallets with information used by manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
The first design decision is where identification is required. A code on a consumer pack may serve a different purpose from one printed on a shipping case. A pallet tag, in turn, can help link multiple cases to a single handling unit.
These choices influence the packaging format, the location and size of the identifier, the printing or application process and the equipment needed to read it.
GS1 Japan’s guidance on case-level identification describes how standardised barcodes can combine product identifiers with manufacturing dates, expiry information and lot numbers. Published in September 2020, the guidance addresses the inefficiencies of checking dates visually and entering information manually.
For packaging manufacturers, the implications are practical. Identifiers must be incorporated into the artwork or label specification, printed or applied consistently, and positioned where they can be read during normal handling. The data must also follow a format that the customer’s systems can interpret.
A code that is technically correct but difficult to scan on a production line or warehouse floor can undermine the whole application.
Corrugated cases demonstrate the value of printed codes
Rokko Butter’s application shows how corrugated packaging can do more than protect products during transport.
According to GS1 Japan, the company was printing GS1 QR codes on corrugated cases for more than 70 stock-keeping units (SKUs) as of February 2024. The codes carried product identifiers, manufacturing and best-before dates, lot numbers and case numbers.
During palletisation, the system read the case codes and the electronic identifier on the pallet, linking the individual cases to the pallet in the company’s records. Further checks supported dispatch, while a management label connected shipment information with location records at the receiving depot.
GS1 Japan reports that the system enabled palletisation by product and lot, with traceability of individual cases to distribution depots.
For converters, the example highlights the importance of designing for reliable code reproduction on corrugated board. The surface, background colour, print consistency and placement can all affect readability. Artwork and production specifications should therefore account for the identifier from the outset rather than treating it as an afterthought.
Trials should use the actual board grade and printing process intended for production. Codes should be checked after printing and, where relevant, after case forming and other converting operations. Verification should also reflect the speeds and conditions under which the packaging will be handled.
The case study documents a traceability application; it does not quantify a reduction in food waste. Its wider significance is the way printed case identification and pallet-level tagging work together.
Choosing the right technology for the pack
QR codes and radio-frequency identification (RFID) offer different ways to identify packaged goods. The choice affects packaging construction, production processes, equipment requirements and cost.
QR codes are optical symbols that can be printed directly on packaging or incorporated into labels. Depending on the application, they can contain product data or encode a web address that leads to digital information.
For converters, this can provide a route to digital identification using established printing processes. The main considerations include symbol size, contrast, print resolution, placement and the effects of the packaging surface. Creases, abrasion, moisture and condensation may affect readability during handling and distribution.
A QR code used for logistics may carry product and batch information, while one intended for consumers may link to instructions, sourcing details or recycling guidance. The GS1 Digital Link standard provides a way to connect GS1 identifiers with online information and services.
RFID uses radio waves to communicate with electronic tags, typically containing a chip and antenna. Tags can be integrated into labels or attached to packaging, depending on the application. Suitable systems can read multiple tagged items without requiring each tag to be directly visible to the reader.
This offers potential advantages for applications involving pallets, cases or groups of products. However, RFID introduces additional components and requires compatible reading equipment. Materials and product contents can also affect performance, so tags must be tested on the finished pack.
For packaging designers, the choice is not simply between a printed code and an electronic tag. It involves assessing the identification task, the physical characteristics of the pack, production requirements and the infrastructure available to the customer. As Rokko Butter’s example demonstrates, the two technologies can complement each other at different packaging levels.
Integrating smart features into converting operations
Adding digital identification to packaging requires attention to production control as well as design.
For printed codes, converters need consistent reproduction and a reliable method of checking that symbols meet the required readability standards. The process should account for variations in substrates, inks, coatings and printing conditions. Direct printing on corrugated board may require different settings from printing on a smooth label material.
Code placement must also work with the physical construction of the pack. A symbol positioned across a fold, seam or area likely to be obscured may become difficult to scan once the case is assembled. The same applies where labels are applied during filling or packing: the position must remain accessible to the intended reader.
RFID integration presents different challenges. The tag must be positioned so that it can be read reliably in the finished configuration, taking account of the product contents, surrounding materials and stacking arrangements. Where tags are applied automatically, the application process and subsequent verification need to be included in production trials.
In both cases, testing should take place under realistic operating conditions and at the intended production speed. A successful laboratory test does not necessarily establish that the solution will work reliably across a full production run or distribution cycle.
Converters should work with brand owners, tag suppliers and system integrators early in the project. This helps resolve design and compatibility issues before they become costly changes to artwork, tooling or production procedures.
Making the packaging investment pay
Smart packaging should be assessed against a defined customer requirement rather than adopted for its own sake.
For converters, the commercial opportunity may lie in supplying printed codes, specialist labels, RFID integration or verification services. For brand owners and logistics operators, the business case may involve more accurate stock records, faster receiving checks or improved traceability.
The investment calculation should cover more than the cost of the packaging component. Depending on the solution, costs can include printing or tagging, inspection equipment, RFID readers, software integration, maintenance and staff training.
A pilot project can help establish whether the system delivers sufficient value. Relevant measures include code-reading success rates, receiving times, inventory discrepancies and the time needed to locate affected products during a traceability exercise.
The results should reflect the original objective. If the purpose is to improve batch traceability, the key question is whether the business can identify affected cases and establish where they were sent. If the goal is to reduce product waste, actual losses should be measured rather than assuming that better data will automatically prevent waste.
For converters, these trials can also reveal whether the proposed design is practical to manufacture at scale and whether additional inspection or application steps affect production efficiency.
Balancing functionality with recyclability
Smart packaging must meet its identification requirements without overlooking material use and end-of-life performance.
Printed codes can add digital functionality without introducing a separate electronic component. RFID labels and tags may contain chips, antennas, adhesives and other materials that need to be considered when assessing the recyclability of the complete packaging format.
The impact depends on the design and the local recycling process. Converters and brand owners should assess whether added components interfere with the recovery of the main packaging material and consult relevant recycling partners where compatibility is uncertain.
The intended use also matters. A tag designed for repeated use on a returnable pallet has a different lifespan and recovery route from one attached to a single-use pack. Durability, removal, reuse and end-of-life handling should form part of the design assessment.
Environmental claims require evidence. If better identification is expected to reduce product losses, businesses should measure the results and consider them alongside the materials and equipment required to deliver the improvement.
The aim is to add useful functionality without introducing unnecessary complexity into the packaging system.
What global packaging businesses can learn
Rokko Butter’s approach demonstrates how packaging formats, printed identifiers and electronic tags can work together to support product traceability.
For converters, the opportunity is to make digital identification part of the packaging specification from the beginning. This means considering substrate selection, print quality, code placement, label or tag integration, verification and the requirements of downstream users.
For brand owners, the priority is to define what the packaging must identify, which information needs to be recorded and how that information will be used by supply chain partners.
The appropriate solution may combine a printed code on a corrugated case, an electronic tag on a pallet and records maintained by warehouse systems. Its value depends on the reliability of the complete arrangement, not on the number of technologies involved.
As demand for connected product information grows, packaging converters that can combine dependable physical packaging with effective digital identification will be better placed to respond to customer requirements. The lesson from Japan is straightforward: smarter packaging begins with good packaging design, supported by technology that solves a clearly defined operational problem
Converters should test code readability on finished packs under realistic production and handling conditions. / Credit: PintoArt via Shutterstock
Smart packaging: a practical checklist for converters
Before committing to a QR code or RFID project, converters should work through the following points with the brand owner, technology supplier and relevant supply chain partners.
- Define the objective. Identify the problem the packaging must solve, such as batch traceability, faster stocktaking or more efficient goods-in checks.
- Choose where identification is needed. Decide whether codes or tags belong on the consumer pack, shipping case, pallet or several packaging levels.
- Select the right technology. Compare printed QR codes and RFID against the required reading method, operating conditions, available infrastructure and total cost.
- Check the packaging specification. Assess the substrate, surface finish, colour, label material, tag placement and any folds or seams that could affect readability.
- Verify print and application quality. Establish inspection procedures and confirm that codes or tags perform consistently at the intended production speed.
- Test the finished pack. Check readability after forming, filling, stacking and handling. For RFID, test with the actual product contents and surrounding packaging.
- Agree data standards and responsibilities. Confirm how identifiers are generated, what information they represent, who maintains the records and how errors are corrected.
- Check system compatibility. Ensure that scanners, readers, warehouse software and supply chain partners can use the identifiers and interpret the data correctly.
- Assess recyclability and reuse. Consider whether inks, adhesives, electronic components or labels affect the intended recycling route, and whether reusable tags can be recovered.
- Run a controlled pilot. Measure reading success, production performance, handling time, traceability accuracy and total implementation cost against an agreed baseline.
- Confirm the business case before scaling up. Use the pilot results to determine whether the solution delivers sufficient operational value and can be deployed reliably across other products or sites.
The decision test: Can the proposed packaging be manufactured consistently, read reliably in its intended environment and deliver a measurable benefit to the customer?
