According to a report from Google News, on June 26, 1974, a pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit chewing gum became the first retail item ever scanned using a Universal Product Code (UPC) barcode. The historic scan took place at a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio, ushering in a new era of automated checkout and inventory management.
The barcode system was developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s by a team including Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver, who patented a linear barcode design, and George Laurer, who created the iconic UPC symbol. The first commercial scan marked the culmination of years of collaboration between retailers, manufacturers, and technology companies to standardize product identification.
The adoption of UPC barcodes revolutionized retail operations, enabling faster checkout, accurate inventory tracking, and supply chain efficiencies. Today, barcodes are ubiquitous in retail worldwide, and the technology has evolved to include 2D codes like QR codes, which carry more data and support digital link connectivity. The 1974 gum purchase remains a milestone in the history of commerce.