Expired QR Code On Heinz Bottle Leads To Porn Website

QR codes are fun to scan and many companies rely on them to lead customers to their websites or to websites where they are currently running some kind of competition. However if there is a lesson that should be learnt is that these companies need to learn how to hold onto their domain names, or at least manage it better.

Back in 2012, Heinz ran a promotion in Germany that ran until 2014 where customers could order themselves a customized ketchup bottle by scanning a QR code on the label. However as one user found out recently, that code was not only expired by the domain used by Heinz for the competition was no longer owned by them and was instead run by a porn company called FunDorado.

The customer, Daniel Korell, wasn’t too pleased by this and pointed out on Heinz’s Facebook page along with a photo (that has been censored, see above) that the QR code leads to a porn website, something that minors should definitely not be seeing. He also notes that holding onto the domain name for the next few years should not have been an issue as it is relatively inexpensive, especially not for a company as being as Heinz.

The company has since apologized for the snafu and has sent Mr. Korell a customized ketchup bottle all the same. In the meantime he might have gotten more than he bargained as FunDorado has offered him a free yearlong subscription to its website as well.

Tyler Lee
Categories: General, Web
Tags: qr code