How do you beat skyrocketing retail space rent alongside competition from established chains and luxury brands? For emerging designers, the answer may lie in a Hong Kong-based app. But is encouraging customers to "shop elsewhere" self-destructive?

SnapTags are an easy to use alternative to the QR code, and turn brand logos into interactive hotspots that provide product information without requiring software downloads.

Combining the thirst for data with a growing hyperawareness of health, Smart Diapers are part of a new market for smart baby monitoring systems. But rather than giving parents peace of mind, could a constant stream of data have the opposite effect?

By combining ingenious use of public spaces with the latest in QR code technology, Tesco's Homeplus virtual subway stores create new retail opportunities in the heart of South Korea's rush hour – and they are proving a hit with time-poor commuters.