Abstract

There have been many implementations of label reading systems over the years to handle a wide range of individual applications. Many potential users have been discouraged by the customizing costs, economic uncertainties, and lack of credible long-term service plans for such equipment. But a careful consideration of the economic justifications and the establishment of a powerful encoding standard by an organization of the end users themselves have created a strong and committed market. Specifically, the Uniform Grocery Product Code Council has established the Universal Product Code (UPC) for application to food products to permit automated checkout and inventory control in the nation’s 40,000 plus supermarkets.

© 1976 Optical Society of America