Is a QR code enough to explain an environmental claim?

No, at least not as a substitute for the statement on the pack. An environmental claim counts as generic where its specification is not provided in a clear and prominent manner on the same medium. An explanation that is only reachable through a QR code on a website is not on the same medium and therefore does not cure an unspecific claim on the packaging.

What “on the same medium” means

If the claim is on the packaging, the specification belongs on the packaging. If it is in an advertisement, it belongs in the same advertisement. If it is on a product page in a shop, it belongs on the same page, and placed so that it is perceived together with the claim, not behind a collapsed panel at the bottom.

What the QR code is good for

As depth, not as the proof itself. The specific property and the pointer to the evidence belong right next to the claim and in legible size; the code then leads to the detail, for example the certificate with its licence number or the certification programme.

An example

Not: “environmentally friendly” plus a QR code. Instead: the specific, verified property directly with the claim, for example a declared recycled content with the trustmark beside it, and the QR code leading to the entry in the public certificate database. The claim then stands on its own and the code makes it verifiable.

The difference is not a formality. A generic environmental claim without demonstrated recognised excellent environmental performance sits on the blacklist and is prohibited with no case-by-case assessment. A QR code does not change that; a specific and substantiated property does.