The number of US consumers who use their smartphone to scan QR codes to make contactless payments and for a wide range of other use cases such as scanning codes in print publications, on restaurant menus and in retail outlets will rise from 83.4 million in 2022 to 99.5 million by 2025, according to an Insider Intelligence forecast.

It shows that, while annual growth rates will slow over the next three years, the Covid-19 pandemic drove a significant increase in QR code usage, with the number of US smartphone users who scan a QR code at least once a calendar year rising by nearly 25%, from 52.6 million in 2019 to 65.7 million in 2020.

“Retail, quick-service restaurant and hospitality businesses have been the main users of QR codes thus far,” the forecasters say.

“However, new uses are emerging, particularly for marketers looking to drive engagement and personalisation — and enhance customer experiences — through interactive TV, vehicle screens, public transit, billboards, product packaging, store shelves, buildings, shopping bags and business cards.”

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