Consumer demand for information accessible through automatic identification

Packages are expected to carry ever more information in a limited space. One solution to this problem is automatic identification, i.e. adding elements to the package that can be linked to electronic information systems. The aim of this study was to find the best way to produce additional business for the value chain of packages via existing technologies for automatic identification. Automatic identification can give benefits in the form of cost savings, new business opportunities, additional value to existing business and increased customer loyalty to all players in the value chain. Available technologies are 2D bar codes, digital watermarks, image recognition, fibre matrix, radiofrequency identification tags and magnetic codes. Pilot tests and user studies showed that additional services offered via automatic identification should include detailed product data, recipes, nutrient needs and user instructions and should match user demand. Obstacles to use are costs, time consumption and complexity. In Japan, mobile barcodes are part of everyday life: well known to consumers and used on a flat‐rate basis. From the beginning, the introduction was based on consumer needs, not on early profit. Today, it operates on a win–win principle, with benefits for all the players in the value chain, and several traditional printers have created completely new service concepts for their customers.