Today In Business History: The Barcode Is 35 Years Old

Today's Post made me think of this song- a favorite from my childhood performed by Lonnie Donegan and his Skiffle Group: http://blip.fm/~8wyhv

At 35,the product barcode may soon be a has been. According to Engineering Education,

barcodes on supermarket items may soon become as antiquated as audio cassettes - they only tell the cashier which type of product is being sold, while Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) allows retailers to track every item individually through the use of smart tags.

Because such tags transmit the information they contain to any RFID reader nearby, employees locate misplaced items more easily and hopefully deter theft. While cost concerns have hindered the adoption of the new technology, just like its predecessor in the 1970s, the humble bar code seems unlikely to stand a chance once RFID reaches critical mass.

Originally designed to help speed up the grocery checkout process, the very first product to be scanned using the barcode technology was a 10-pack of Juicy Fruit gum. That pack of gum is now at the Smithsonian.