Barcode Technology Applied to Groceries
Initial applications of barcode scanning technology in the 1970s came about as a result of the UPC initiative intended to help grocery stores control inventories, reduce labor costs, and speed up customer processing. The first applications in grocery stores in the U.S. were not promising. Industry-wide savings did not materialize at first because of the complexity of the technology and the slow implementation by grocery stores. Many industry-watchers suggested the experiment would ultimately fail.
See different types of barcode scanners.