Five Steps
- 1 · Product: the label is applied in production. The QR code sits under an opaque layer.
- 2 · Scratch: the buyer removes the silver coating. An intact layer means nobody has queried this unit before.
- 3 · Scan: any phone camera reads the code. No app required.
- 4 · Verify: the code is queried against the database on the brand's own domain.
- 5 · Result: genuine, or invalid / previously queried.
Two Independent Layers
The physical layer is the coating — a disturbed label is already suspect on the shelf. The digital layer is the database — an invalid or repeatedly queried code triggers a warning. A counterfeiter has to defeat both.
What the Result Screen Shows
- Genuine, first query: confirmation, product name, batch and query time.
- Previously queried: a warning with the date of the first query. If you just opened the product, the label may be a copy.
- Invalid code: the code is not in the database — the label is counterfeit or misread.
- Excessive queries: flagged internally and reported to the brand.
How Copied Labels Are Caught
A counterfeiter can scratch one genuine label and reprint that code thousands of times. The first query registers it; every subsequent scan returns "previously queried". Hundreds of queries on a single code stand out immediately in the brand dashboard, usually as a geographic cluster.
Technical Requirements
- QR at least 15 mm under the coating; 18–20 mm safer
- Scratch area covering the quiet zone as well
- Error correction Q or H — the surface may be scuffed during scratching
- Non-sequential, unpredictable code values
- A short fallback code for manual entry
- Destructive adhesive so the label cannot be transferred
An Honest Note
Customers do not scan spontaneously. Scan rates are set by communication, not technology: a clear call to action on the label, a short explanation on the packaging, and ideally a small reward for the first query.