Chapter 3 - GS1 QR Code and Edgyn Resolver: a powerful tool for compliance and consumer engagement

In our previous chapter, we explored how Augmented QR Codes are reshaping beauty packaging into a dynamic, data-rich gateway, addressing the three pillars of modern brand strategy: efficiency, compliance, and engagement.

In this chapter, we’ll dive deeper into how using an Augmented QR Code with a resolver unlocks two critical capabilities: 

1. Delivering multiple, tailored consumer experiences from a single QR code. 
2. Meeting diverse and evolving global regulatory requirements with ease. 

From Experience to Compliance: One Core Technology

The same principles that enable a rich consumer experience (serialization, product, and traceability data) are the very foundation for meeting the world’s most stringent cosmetics regulatory requirements, such as the China Cosmetics Supervision and Administration Regulation (CSAR) and the US Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA).

The key to this is a globally recognized standard: the GS1 Digital Link, used in combination with a powerful backend “resolver.”

The GS1 Digital Link and the Power of the Resolver

Think of a traditional QR code as a static street sign pointing to a single address. A GS1 Digital Link is a dynamic system that carries a rich payload of information, including a product’s Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) and a unique serial number. When this code is scanned, it initiates a call to a centralized “resolver.” 

A resolver is a service that acts as a central traffic controller. It receives the scan request and, using a predefined set of rules, determines which digital experience to deliver. This is where magic happens. The resolver can use data from the scan itself, such as the user’s geolocation, the time of day, the type of device being used, and the status of the code, to deliver a precise, rule-based redirect to a specific digital destination. 

This is the “magic” that allows a single QR code to serve multiple purposes – from guiding a consumer through a personalized brand experience to instantly serving up regulator-specific compliance data. 

Complying with Global Regulations: The Rules-Based Approach

The resolver’s ability to redirect based on rules is the cornerstone of regulatory compliance. It allows a brand to provide different audiences with the information they need, when they need it, and in the format required by law, all from a single scan, redirecting the right information according to the local regulation.