S.Korea’s convenience stores sell bottled water without plastic labels

Convenience stores in South Korea now sell bottled water without plastic labels. 

The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and Jeju Province Development Corp. (JPDC) on Thursday said they will raise the supply of label-free plastic bottles by using the next-generation QR code GS1 QR.

A conventional QR includes no barcode for technical reasons but the GS1 QR can have one inserted. If the latter is inscribed on the cap of a plastic bottle of water, no vinyl label is required.

To support JPDC, the KCCI late this month will apply the GS1 QR to the lids of three types of the company’s bottled water brand Jeju Samdasoo. The use of GS1 QR will eventually be applied to all products of the brand.

Jeju Samdasoo is the nation’s top seller of bottled water, thus its adoption of these eco-friendly bottles is expected to have a ripple effect throughout the industry. Its move is also seen to stimulate bottle recycling thanks to the removal of the label.

Write to Jeong-Soo Hwang at hjs@hankyung.com