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Celebrating 50 years of the Barcode

26 June 2024

Blick having created and used barcodes and now QR codes on many products and packaging we thought this milestone was worth a mention. Celebrating 50 years of the Barcode: On June 26, 1974, at 8 a.m., the first Universal Product Code (UPC) was scanned at Marsh Supermarket in Troy, Ohio. This historic event, involving National Cash Register and Hobart Corporation, marked a significant advancement in retail technology. The first item scanned was a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum, chosen for its small size to test the barcode printing. Clyde Dawson, head of R&D for Marsh, was the first “shopper,” and Sharon Buchanan was the pioneer cashier. The event was ceremonial, with Marsh staff preparing the store by applying barcodes to hundreds of items the night before.

To read more about this historic event visit https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/history-bar-code-180956704/

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