In 1974, engineer George Laurer refined the pattern of black bars on a grocery label, developing the barcode system that became the foundation of modern retail checkout, The Times of India reported. Laurer's work at IBM evolved earlier concepts into the Universal Product Code (UPC), which allowed stores to scan products quickly and track inventory efficiently.
The breakthrough came when Laurer replaced the original bullseye-style symbol with the now-familiar linear barcode. This change dramatically improved scanning reliability and reduced printing costs, paving the way for widespread adoption. By the 1980s, the UPC had become a global standard, transforming supply chains and retail operations.
Today, barcodes remain ubiquitous in retail and logistics, though newer two-dimensional codes like QR codes are increasingly common. Laurer's 1974 refinement is credited as the key milestone that made automated checkout and real-time inventory management possible, reshaping the shopping experience worldwide.