BUSINESS CENTS
Beep! A New Shopping Experience is Coming
to a Store Near You
Article from BPT Website
(BPT) - Can you imagine (or remember!) how grocery checkout worked before the UPC barcode became commonplace? Clerks read price tags and manually keyed in numbers on cash registers that simply counted and managed money. At the same time, long lines of customers often wrapped around the aisles as they waited to buy their groceries.
All of that changed when the retail industry came together seeking a speedier checkout solution, inventing scanning technology and the iconic UPC barcode - a simple set of black lines and spaces that encode product information. The very first barcode scan happened 50 years ago on June 26, 1974, when a 10-pack of WRIGLEY'S® JUICY FRUIT® gum was purchased at a Marsh
Supermarket in Troy, Ohio - the same year that the Uniform Code Council, now GS1, was appointed as administrator of the UPC barcode. This event marked the beginning of a new era in shopping.
The UPC barcode revolutionized inventory management and checkout speed, reducing errors and saving time. It enabled retailers to track sales more efficiently, manage stock better and streamline supply chains. Faster checkout meant reduced wait times for shoppers, which became a welcomed improvement in their experience.
Not many technologies have endured for as long as the UPC barcode. Half a century later, it continues serving its limited purpose very well. However, advanced digital technology has led