Has the classic barcode become obsolete 50 years after its introduction?

It all started with a pack of chewing gum: 50 years ago, a barcode was scanned for the first time at a supermarket checkout. The system revolutionized retail. But the barcode could soon be replaced.

The thick and thin lines can now be found on almost every product; it is impossible to imagine everyday life without them. More than a billion products now have a barcode, and they are scanned ten billion times a day around the world. The barcode is now celebrating its 50th birthday.

The inventors of the code are the Americans Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver. In order to be able to read product information automatically without numbers, the two students developed a concept in 1948 and 1949 and applied for a patent. However, it was many years before the first product was swiped through a cash register. In 1962, Silver and Woodland sold their now protected invention to the company Philco for $15,000.

Premiere in the United States

Subsequently, several manufacturers set about developing barcodes and scanners using laser technology. The barcode celebrated its premiere on June 26, 1974. On that day, the first item, a pack of Wrigley’s chewing gum, was scanned with a special device in a Marsh supermarket in the US state of Ohio.

In the years that followed, the system was further developed. Stephan Rüschen, professor of food retail at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University in Heilbronn, is convinced of the technology’s merits: “Over the last few decades, the barcode has not only made checkout easier, but has also significantly improved the entire process chain in retail,” is his assessment.

Food companies gradually introduced scanner checkouts in the 1970s. The last to do so was the discounter Aldi Nord: it was not until 2003 that all of its branches were equipped with modern scanner checkouts.

Each product has its own code

The basis for the code is the GTIN underneath, a 13-digit article number. The Cologne-based company GS1 issues the numbers to retailers so that they can label their products and make them identifiable and sell them worldwide. The barcode is then generated using special software. Each product has its own barcode. The encrypted code makes each article identifiable worldwide.

Probably the biggest change for consumers: the scanning process at the checkout significantly speeds up the payment process and reduces errors when manually typing in prices.

But there is more to the barcode, explains GS1 spokesperson Michaela Freynhagen: “Barcodes enable accurate and efficient inventory tracking. Retailers can monitor inventory levels in real time, automatically trigger reorders and avoid excess inventory,” says Freynhagen. In addition, barcodes can be used to seamlessly track goods along the entire supply chain – from the manufacturer to the end consumer. This improves transparency and efficiency in logistics.

Barcodes also in hospitals

Barcodes are also used in completely different areas, for example in hospitals. “Barcodes on patient bracelets and medications enable precise administration of medication and reduce the risk of mix-ups and errors,” explains the GS1 spokeswoman.

The classic barcode could soon disappear from products. “Thank you, dear barcode, for your achievements in the past. The future belongs to others,” says retail expert Rüschen. What will happen next is already becoming clear. The company GS1 expects a gradual switch to two-dimensional codes such as the QR code. The process is already underway and retail companies are being prepared for the switch, they say. The camera-based scanners required for this are already installed in more than 80 percent of retail checkouts, according to GS1.

What the new generation of barcodes can do

The new code can do more than its predecessor. For example, it contains information on allergens, data on sustainability and packaging. “If consumers scan the code at home, they receive information on use, maintenance and later recycling, seasonal competitions or discount campaigns,” says Michaela Freynhagen.

In addition, the new system saves space on the packaging, “since two codes have often been displayed there: the well-known barcode for automating processes in a business context and a QR code for communicating with consumers. Now these two worlds are being brought together,” explains Freynhagen.

Expert Rüschen sees good prospects for this technology. A process for automatically identifying objects via radio is already being used by textile retailers such as Zara, Uniqlo and Decathlon. The items then do not have to be scanned individually, but can be recorded simultaneously – when the shopping cart is pushed through a gate or the products are placed in a tray. This would make shopping even faster.