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This is why we can't have nice things :(

Maybe some indirect system would defeat this, where the real QR code only works if you have a cookie registered some other way - a phone app or something... and the fake one can't scrape that...

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My proposal would be to display the QR code on a screen, and generate a new QR code for every use.

That's at least 2 orders of magnitude more expensive. Maintaining a functioning screen on charge & online is no easy, even less outdoors

Meters generally already have a screen for showing remaining time. And the meter would have to be online if you can pay from an app, unless the meter is now just a pole with a sticker and everything including remaining time in in the app (Which is not the case for these meters).

Now that meters are moving from purely mechanical to electronic devices, the extra cost of the display and connectivity can be reduced by having a central pay station for a row of parking spaces. I believe I've seen some form of central pay station on some streets.

The problem is probably solvable if your customers already have the correct app.

The issue is if your customers are using the QR code to install your app. A scammer can change that QR code and hijack the customer's entire experience.

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