{"id":115977,"date":"2026-05-11T16:58:54","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T16:58:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/?post_type=vimeo-video&p=115977"},"modified":"2026-05-12T06:17:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-12T04:17:14","slug":"unlocking-the-benefits-of-a-move-to-connected-packaging-and-2d-codes-craig-stobie-domino-interpack-2026","status":"publish","type":"vimeo-video","link":"https:\/\/packaging-journal.de\/en\/vimeo-video\/unlocking-the-benefits-of-a-move-to-connected-packaging-and-2d-codes-craig-stobie-domino-interpack-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Unlocking the benefits of a move to connected packaging and 2D codes: Craig Stobie, Domino | interpack 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

At interpack 2026, Craig Stobie of Domino \u2014 one of the company\u2019s 2D code experts \u2014 explains why connected packaging and 2D codes are scaling now. The technology itself isn\u2019t new: 1974 saw the first barcode scan on a pack of Wrigley\u2019s chewing gum. What is new is the application, and the speed at which the wider ecosystem is now adopting it.<\/p>\n

Not new technology \u2014 but new at scale<\/h3>\n

Several forces are accelerating the move at once. The circular economy is shifting brands from \u201ctake, make, throw away\u201d toward refill, reduce and remove \u2014 Stobie cites labelless water in South Korea, where a QR code becomes the only way to identify the product. The digital economy turns the pack itself into a marketing channel, freeing up packaging real estate as information moves online. Add legislation such as the new wine regulation and the strong retailer pull around \u201cQR powered by GS1\u201d, and the trends start to reinforce one another.<\/p>\n

The benefits, Stobie emphasises, are present across the entire value chain. Manufacturers gain supply-chain and warehouse efficiency. Retailers unlock dynamic pricing and waste reduction \u2014 \u201c2D codes have already cut food waste by more than 40 percent\u201d. Consumers, including those with visual impairments, get immediate access to ingredient, allergen and recipe information. And recyclers benefit downstream. One change, many stakeholder wins.<\/p>

\"\"<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n

Start with the why \u2014 and plan early<\/h3>\n

Stobie's most consistent message: this is not an engineering project. \u201cDon\u2019t focus on the what \u2014 I want to print a 2D code. Don\u2019t focus on the how \u2014 what does it mean for my lines. Start with the why. Who is it for, what benefits are you trying to unlock? Then work back.\u201d That why determines the data elements that need to sit on pack and online, and only then the implementation.<\/p>\n

Time is the other critical factor. Packaging changes can take five to seven years to filter through a major brand, which means companies targeting 2027 readiness should have started in 2021. Stobie also flips the usual pilot logic on its head: instead of trialling on the best line, start on the worst. \u201cEighty percent of your lines will take 20 percent of the time, but 20 percent of your lines will take 80 percent. Start with the hard lessons \u2014 you\u2019ll learn fastest.\u201d And a simple early indicator of project success: count the job titles in the first meeting. Engineering plus production alone is a warning sign. Legal, IT, packaging, logistics and warehouse management in the same room is the right setup.<\/p>