U of A Research Shows Benefits of Imperceptible Barcodes for Cashiers

Two University of Arkansas professors have found that placing imperceptible barcodes on products — to make them scannable on any side — may prevent injuries among cashiers and lead to more retail efficiency. Molly Jensen, a clinical associate professor of marketing in the Sam M. Walton College of Business, and Kaitlin Gallagher, an assistant professor of exercise science in the College of Education and Health Professions, began collaborating on the barcode research project in 2016. Their findings were recently published in the International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, a leading peer-review journal. The research has implications for workplace safety, retail and marketing, and applied and industrial ergonomics.