Barcodes are about to go extinct
12 hours ago
- QR codes were invented in 1992 by Masahiro Hara at Denso to solve barcode overload, inspired by the board game Go, and were patented but made freely available.
- Barcodes have been the retail standard since 1974, managed by GS1, but are limited to identifying product type, not tracking details like origin or batch.
- GS1 announced a shift to QR codes (Sunrise 2027) due to increased need for detailed tracking after food recalls and FDA mandates, providing more data capacity.
- QR codes can link to information about origins, ingredients, expiry, environmental impact, and can be used across checkout, stock, and consumer use.
- Retail giants like Walmart are already adopting QR technology; brands that wait risk being left behind, though the transition requires major system overhauls.
- Consumer research shows 79% prefer QR codes but want the right information at hand, not just more data.
- The shift poses challenges including dual coding, data management, and costs, with many companies unprepared.