Viral Tattoo: Woman Gets Functional Red Bull Barcode Inked on Her Arm

In a striking display of personal expression, a young woman from Switzerland named Dyu has gone viral on social media after getting a tattoo of a Red Bull energy drink barcode on her arm — a design that astonishingly works when scanned at retail self-checkout counters.

Dyu, an ardent fan of Red Bull, chose to showcase her admiration by tattooing the barcode from a Red Bull can onto her hand. The tattoo, which reportedly cost her over 600 US dollars (approximately ₹51,000), includes a creative twist — it shows an insect appearing to nibble on the barcode, based on a sketch drawn by her sister.

Initially uncertain whether the barcode would function, Dyu admitted her doubts were shared by the tattoo artist. “The tattoo artist did not guarantee it would work, so I wasn’t sure either. But the next day, I tried it at my workplace, and it scanned. I was really surprised and happy,” she told a news outlet.

In a video posted to Instagram, Dyu is seen scanning the tattoo at a store’s self-checkout counter using a handheld scanner. The barcode was successfully recognized by the system, which promptly added a 250-milliliter Red Bull can to the billing screen. “For everyone wondering if my Red Bull barcode works — yes, it does (if you scan it at the right angle, and in Switzerland),” she captioned the video.

The video has rapidly gained traction online, garnering over 19 million views on Instagram alone. Many users expressed amazement at the fact that the tattoo functions like an actual barcode. Some even commented that they were inspired to get tattoos of their favorite snacks or beverages.

However, others raised concerns about the tattoo's long-term functionality. A few users questioned what would happen if Red Bull changed their barcode in the future, rendering the tattoo ineffective. “This might be one of the most incredible things I’ve seen,” remarked one viewer, while another praised the tattoo artist’s skill, stating, “The line work must be so precise for it to actually scan.”