diff --git a/noodles-bcf/src/record/codec/encoder/site/info/field/value.rs b/noodles-bcf/src/record/codec/encoder/site/info/field/value.rs
index 2e68b0a9f..0df48972d 100644
--- a/noodles-bcf/src/record/codec/encoder/site/info/field/value.rs
+++ b/noodles-bcf/src/record/codec/encoder/site/info/field/value.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ where
         Some(field::Value::Float(n)) => write_float_value(writer, n),
         Some(field::Value::Flag) => write_flag_value(writer),
         Some(field::Value::Character(c)) => write_character_value(writer, c),
-        Some(field::Value::String(s)) => write_string_value(writer, s),
+        Some(field::Value::String(s)) => write_string_value(writer, &s),
         Some(field::Value::Array(field::value::Array::Integer(values))) => {
             write_integer_array_value(writer, values)
         }
diff --git a/noodles-bcf/src/record/info/field/value.rs b/noodles-bcf/src/record/info/field/value.rs
index 178e22b00..304791749 100644
--- a/noodles-bcf/src/record/info/field/value.rs
+++ b/noodles-bcf/src/record/info/field/value.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use std::{io, iter};
+use std::{borrow::Cow, io, iter};
 
 use noodles_vcf::{
     self as vcf,
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ fn read_character_array_value<'a>(src: &mut &'a [u8]) -> io::Result<Option<Value
 fn read_string_value<'a>(src: &mut &'a [u8]) -> io::Result<Option<Value<'a>>> {
     match read_typed_value(src)? {
         None | Some(TypedValue::String(None)) => Ok(None),
-        Some(TypedValue::String(Some(s))) => Ok(Some(Value::String(s))),
+        Some(TypedValue::String(Some(s))) => Ok(Some(Value::String(Cow::from(s)))),
         v => Err(type_mismatch_error(v, Type::String)),
     }
 }
diff --git a/noodles-vcf/CHANGELOG.md b/noodles-vcf/CHANGELOG.md
index 9923747a3..c33918840 100644
--- a/noodles-vcf/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/noodles-vcf/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 
 ### Changed
 
-  * vcf/variant/record/info/field/value/array/values: Percent-decode string
-    values ([#300]).
+  * vcf/record/info/field/value: Percent-decode string value ([#300]).
 
-    This changes the values iterator item from `&str` to `Cow<'_, str>`.
+    This changes the string values (`Value::String` and
+    `Value::Array(Array::String)`) from `&str` to `Cow<'_, str>`.
 
 [#300]: https://github.com/zaeleus/noodles/issues/300
 
diff --git a/noodles-vcf/src/record/info/field/value.rs b/noodles-vcf/src/record/info/field/value.rs
index 2bada30c1..cc0d31915 100644
--- a/noodles-vcf/src/record/info/field/value.rs
+++ b/noodles-vcf/src/record/info/field/value.rs
@@ -59,7 +59,11 @@ fn parse_character_value(src: &str) -> io::Result<Value<'_>> {
 }
 
 fn parse_string_value(src: &str) -> io::Result<Value<'_>> {
-    Ok(Value::String(src))
+    use crate::io::reader::record_buf::value::percent_decode;
+
+    percent_decode(src)
+        .map(Value::String)
+        .map_err(|e| io::Error::new(io::ErrorKind::InvalidData, e))
 }
 
 fn parse_integer_array_value(src: &str) -> io::Result<Value<'_>> {
@@ -77,3 +81,23 @@ fn parse_character_array_value(src: &str) -> io::Result<Value<'_>> {
 fn parse_string_array_value(src: &str) -> io::Result<Value<'_>> {
     Ok(Value::Array(Array::String(Box::new(src))))
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_string_value() -> io::Result<()> {
+        assert!(matches!(
+            parse_string_value("")?,
+            Value::String(s) if s == ""
+        ));
+
+        assert!(matches!(
+            parse_string_value("a%3Bb")?,
+            Value::String(s) if s == "a;b"
+        ));
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/noodles-vcf/src/variant/record/info/field/value.rs b/noodles-vcf/src/variant/record/info/field/value.rs
index 47b724876..dfa75983d 100644
--- a/noodles-vcf/src/variant/record/info/field/value.rs
+++ b/noodles-vcf/src/variant/record/info/field/value.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 pub mod array;
 
-use std::io;
+use std::{borrow::Cow, io};
 
 pub use self::array::Array;
 
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ pub enum Value<'a> {
     /// A character.
     Character(char),
     /// A string.
-    String(&'a str),
+    String(Cow<'a, str>),
     /// An array.
     Array(Array<'a>),
 }
diff --git a/noodles-vcf/src/variant/record_buf/info/field/value.rs b/noodles-vcf/src/variant/record_buf/info/field/value.rs
index 5842c389a..ffbf9273c 100644
--- a/noodles-vcf/src/variant/record_buf/info/field/value.rs
+++ b/noodles-vcf/src/variant/record_buf/info/field/value.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 mod array;
 
-use std::str;
+use std::{borrow::Cow, str};
 
 pub use self::array::Array;
 
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ impl<'a> From<&'a Value> for crate::variant::record::info::field::Value<'a> {
             Value::Float(n) => Self::Float(*n),
             Value::Flag => Self::Flag,
             Value::Character(c) => Self::Character(*c),
-            Value::String(s) => Self::String(s.as_ref()),
+            Value::String(s) => Self::String(Cow::from(s.as_str())),
             Value::Array(array) => Self::Array(array.into()),
         }
     }