How Barcoding Has Changed the World

Barcode history began with Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver as they put their heads together and on October 7, 1952 received the first patent for a bar code type of product. (US Patent #2,612,994).  Though the patent was issued in 1952, it wasn’t until 1966 that the bar code was used commercially. It became apparent soon after that an industry standard must be created. Logicon Inc. created the Universal Grocery Products Identification Code (UGPIC) in 1970. Four years later, the first U.P.C. scanner was installed at a Marsh’s supermarket in Troy, Ohio. While silent and invisible, barcodes have made a huge impact on the world as we know it. This infographic gives a quick snapshot of barcode history and how barcoding has changed the world.