What is the fuss about QR Codes, Is it worth replacing Flyers with them? 

In the fast-evolving world of marketing, the shift from traditional to digital tools has become a global trend. Marketers are increasingly turning to QR codes as a sleek, eco-friendly alternative to physical flyers, promising cost savings, real-time analytics, and a connection to the digital consumer. However, in Uganda; a nation known for its markets, resilient communities, and stark contrasts, this shift could prove to be a costly error. Replacing physical flyers with QR codes risks alienating large segments of the population, undermining campaign effectiveness, and ignoring the country’s unique socio-economic and cultural realities. Here are the reasons why this trendy pivot might be a poor choice in Uganda and why physical flyers still hold irreplaceable value.

QR codes, those pixelated black-and-white squares, have surged in popularity worldwide. They offer a compelling proposition: a quick scan with a smartphone instantly directs users to websites, promotions, or interactive content, all without the clutter of paper. For marketers, the appeal is evident because it reduces printing costs, leaves a smaller environmental footprint, and the ability to track engagement in real-time is emense. In urban centers like Kampala, where smartphone adoption is on the rise and tech-savvy youth are eager for innovation, QR codes have gained traction. For example, the Uganda Tourism Board has experimented with QR codes at international expos to promote destinations like Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

However, Uganda is not a monolithic society. Beyond the bustling streets of Kampala and in the outskirts, Jinja, or Gulu lies a country where digital infrastructure is lacking, rural life is predominant, and traditional communication remains crucial. The assumption that QR codes can seamlessly replace physical flyers overlooks these disparities, potentially leaving millions behind in a nation still navigating the analog-digital divide.

Although smartphone usage is growing, projected to reach over 40% of Ugandans by 2025, according to industry estimates many still rely on basic feature phones that cannot scan QR codes. Rural areas, which are home to nearly 75% of the population, lag far behind urban centers in technology adoption. Even among smartphone users, digital literacy remains a challenge. A trader in Mbale or a farmer in Lira may own a smartphone but lack the knowledge to scan a code or navigate its output. In contrast, physical flyers require no technical skills but just eyes and curiosity making them a universally accessible medium.

QR codes are ineffective without internet access, which remains a luxury for many Ugandans. Despite improvements in mobile network coverage, rural areas struggle with weak signals, frequent outages, and high data costs. The Uganda Communications Commission reported that only about 30% of the population had reliable internet access in 2024. For someone living in a village near Lake Victoria, scanning a QR code could require an expensive trip to a trading center with better reception or it could simply be impossible. A physical flyer, handed out at a market or pinned to a tree, delivers its message instantly, without requiring any data bundle.

Data affordability is an ongoing challenge. Even with declining costs averaging around UGX 200 per MB in 2025, many Ugandans prioritize their data for essential uses like WhatsApp or calls rather than marketing promotions. Scanning a QR code that links to a flashy website could quickly consume a user’s data plan, turning a promotional tool into a financial burden. On the contrary, once printed, physical flyers impose no additional cost on the recipient, leveling the playing field in a country where over 20% of people live below the poverty line.

In Uganda, physical objects carry significant weight. A flyer handed out by a boda boda rider, pinned to a church noticeboard, or shared among neighbors at a market becomes a communal touchstone. It serves as a keepsake, a conversation starter, and a lingering reminder. In contrast, QR codes are ephemeral and intangible and lack this staying power. In a society where oral traditions and face-to-face interactions thrive, the tactile nature of a flyer aligns more closely with how Ugandans connect and communicate.

Globally, QR codes have a downside: they can link to phishing sites or malware. In Uganda, where digital scams such as mobile money fraud have eroded trust, this risk is particularly concerning. Awareness of cybersecurity is still developing, and a suspicious QR code on a poster may deter rather than attract potential users. Physical flyers, being static and verifiable, provide a safer and more trusted alternative in a landscape where skepticism towards technology prevails.

The elderly, visually impaired, and those without smartphones, the common demographics in Uganda are effectively excluded by QR codes. A grandmother in Soroti or a blind vendor in Kampala cannot scan a code, but they can read a flyer with large print or hear its contents from a neighbor. Physical flyers can be adapted to meet these diverse needs, while QR codes cannot, risking a marketing strategy that sidelines the very people it aims to reach.

Uganda’s informal economy thrives on human networks like vendors, hawkers, and community leaders who spread information organically. Physical flyers fit this model perfectly, being passed hand-to-hand or displayed in high-traffic areas like trading centers. QR codes, requiring posters or signage with clear instructions, demand a more structured rollout that conflicts with this fluid distribution model. A code on a billboard may work in Kampala, but in a rural market, it often falls flat.

Eliminating physical flyers in favor of QR codes isn’t merely impractical, it’s a gamble that could cost marketers their audience. Uganda’s digital divide means that a tech-only approach excludes the majority, especially in rural areas dominated by agriculture and informal trade. Imagine a farmer in Arua being handed a flyer about a new fertilizer at the weekly market. She takes it home, shares it with her cooperative, and acts on it. Replace that flyer with a QR code, and the chain breaks. She has no smartphone, no data, and no opportunity.

The push for QR codes often reveals a Western bias assuming a world of ubiquitous smartphones, affordable data, and tech fluency that Uganda has yet to fully realize. It’s a classic case of innovation outpacing readiness, a lesson observed elsewhere in Africa. For instance, mobile money services like M-Pesa in Kenya succeeded because they built on existing habits and infrastructure. QR codes, by contrast, require a leap that many Ugandans are not equipped to make.

Marketers in Uganda should resist the allure of QR code exclusivity and adopt a hybrid strategy. Physical flyers remain a vital resource, cheap, reliable, and rooted in local culture. Pair them with QR codes for the digitally inclined, and you have a campaign that bridges worlds rather than burning bridges. Innovation is essential, but it must serve the people, not the other way around. In Uganda, the humble flyer still reigns, it’s simply too valuable to let fade away.