The barcode turns 50 years old.

The barcode, now so much part of our everyday lives we hardly notice them, yet they must be one of the most common printed images we will see, from beans to beds, nothing is free from its own unique code. Imagine controlling the "Covid 19" Vaccine program without barcodes! 

3rd April 2023, will see this humble code turn 50, although it has been around for much longer - 

Read the Metro article here - https://metro.co.uk/2023/04/03/the-barcode-is-50-today-honestly-its-more-exciting-than-you-think-18542690/

The idea, according to a quick web search, was that of Bernard Silver in 1948, he joined the dots in a Morse Code and formed the first "barcode".

It wasn't until 1974, that a UPC code on a pack of Wrigley`s Juicy Fruit chewing gum was first commercially scanned. By 1975, 75% of packaging carried a barcode, only around 200 stores had any way of scanning them!, although by 1980, 8,000 stores a year were adopting the idea. The real catalyst came in 1981 when the US Department of Defense took up the UPC code for marking all products sold to the US Military.

The linear barcode we are all familiar with is joined now by the 2D, or Matrix, code, these can "carry" more information than the linear types, and we guess are filling the gap that the much heralded RFID system was offering.

We often are asked to print a barcode, and when we ask "what type?" "what is the number?" are met with a silence. If you are new to barcodes you will need to get in touch with GS1 UK -  they can issue your unique numbers, we think that there is a cost involved with this registration.

We can produce printed labels carrying a barcode, either a simple one colour label with "just" the code, or as part of a "full" colour label, and we can also supply both plain labels and the Thermal Transfer machine for you to produce your own codes "in house".

If you should need any further information, please give us a call - 01530 515170