Has the barcode reached its ‘use by’ date?

The ubiquitous barcode has revolutionised the retail industry since its arrival on a packet of Wrigley’s chewing gum in 1974. The black and white striped sticker encodes information about the product that can be easily scanned, speeding up checkout and making logistics easier. But businesses, regulators and shoppers themselves are demanding more information about their products – and this may mean the reign of the barcode is coming to an end. Supply chains rely on information. Even a small error or omission could create waves through the supply chain, errors that could lead to, for example, costly over or under-stocking, or accidental breaches of regulation or even potentially illegal activity.