Sibirsky invited consumers of its Kirieshky dried rye bread snacks to search inside the packet for a special code and then to send it via SMS text message to a specified number. Consumers who returned the winning code received an Apple iPod touch.

“This technology helped us to improve customer loyalty and allowed us to track sales and consumption in specific regions,” said Mikhail Senikov, Sibirsky’s director of marketing and development. “Due to this project we were able to maintain our sales level in a period of decreasing demand for snacks.”

Amcor said its SerialCoding can be used not only for product promotions but also to protect products against counterfeiting and to provide enhanced traceability. The coding system can print any individual message made up of letters and/or numbers on each separate wrapper, said the company.