German military targets kebab shops for recruitment via QR codes

German kebab shops want you for the country’s army: German citizens can now join the Bundeswehr’s medical service by scanning QR codes on street-food wrappers nationwide.

A defense ministry spokesperson told German outlet Berliner Kurier on Wednesday that the new recruitment campaign aims to reach “not only young people” deciding on a career but also “career changers and skilled workers” considering a new profession.

The kebab wrappers form part of what the ministry calls “ambient” advertising — recruitment materials placed in locations where potential applicants go about their daily lives. The kebab joints themselves don’t get paid, and operators voluntarily agree to distribute the material, according to the ministry.

“The restaurants receive the branded packaging free of charge,” it said.

Germany isn’t the first European country to rethink its military recruitment pitch in recent years: In a 2019 advertising campaign, the British Army targeted “snowflakes,” “selfie addicts” and “phone zombies.” France launched a nationwide multimedia recruitment drive in 2024, and the Netherlands has been offering young people the chance to spend a paid year in uniform since 2023.

The unconventional recruitment strategy comes as Berlin races to expand its armed forces. The Bundeswehr counted 186,705 active troops at the end of July — its highest level in 13 years — but aims to reach more than 260,000 by 2035 to meet NATO capability targets.