Why OwlQR exists
Global standards are shifting. GS1 Sunrise 2027 mandates the transition from 1D to 2D barcodes. The EU Digital Product Passport requires QR-accessible traceability data. Amazon demands unit-level serialisation through its Transparency programme.
For large enterprises, these requirements are manageable. They have teams, budgets, and consultants. But for the thousands of small and medium exporters who make up the backbone of New Zealand's trade economy, the compliance rules feel overwhelming.
That's the gap OwlQR was built to fill. One platform where a product business can add their products, generate compliant QR codes, and share transparent product information, without consultants, without enterprise contracts, and without complexity.
Our mission
"Our mission is to make product transparency simple, so every brand, not just enterprise, can prove what's behind the label."
Built by exporters, for exporters
OwlQR is designed and built in New Zealand. We understand the challenges of exporting from a small country to global markets because we live them.
Getting Kiwis prepared
Your barcode's about to get smarter. Most retailers will expect a QR code by the end of 2027 that can carry real information, not just a price.
GS1 NZ aligned
Sell into new markets without the paperwork chase. More countries expect a scan to show where a product came from and what's in it.
Exporter focused
Consumers increasingly want to know where products come from, what they contain, and whether they can be trusted.
Why this matters for your business
Product transparency is no longer optional. Retailers, regulators, and consumers all expect to know what's behind the label. OwlQR makes that simple, so you can focus on making great products.
How OwlQR works- Feb 2027
- Digital Battery Passports become mandatory for relevant batteries placed on the EU market.
- 2027–29
- New DPP requirements are being developed for textiles, furniture, tyres, metals, mattresses and ICT products.
- 27 markets
- DPP requirements will apply across the EU market, including products manufactured and exported from New Zealand.
- 18+ months
- Minimum transition period businesses will receive after product-specific ESPR rules are adopted.
What we believe
Simplicity over complexity
If a product business can't set up in 15 minutes without help, the platform has failed, not the user.
Standards matter
We build on GS1, not around it. Compliance should be built-in, not bolted on.
Transparency is trust
When customers can verify what's behind a product, trust follows. That trust is the most valuable thing a brand can build.
Access for all
Product transparency shouldn't be an enterprise-only capability. Small brands deserve the same tools as multinationals.
See it for yourself
Create your first product, generate a QR code, and see what your customers will see.