With more than six billion scanned each day, it is nearly impossible to imagine daily life without barcodes, and especially today’s newest version, the QR code. On June 26, 1974, the first Universal Product Code (UPC), was scanned on a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum at a small-town grocery store in Troy, Ohio. That scan of a pack of gum became the catalyst for more than 40 years of efficiency and accuracy that launched the Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) industry. The barcode revolutionized industries all over the world, powering global commerce, simplifying purchases, and streamlining logistics processes.

Three pioneers in the barcoding industry came together in 2021 to co-sponsor the first-ever National Barcode Day to commemorate this revolutionary achievement—Barcoding, Inc., the leader in supply chain efficiency, accuracy, and connectivity, Datalogic, a global leader in the automatic data capture and factory automation markets, and ScanSource, Inc., a leading hybrid distributor connecting devices to the cloud and accelerating growth for partners across hardware, software, connectivity, and cloud. To recognize this historical event more than 40 years ago, June 26 is now known annually as National Barcode Day.

Join in on the National Barcode Day celebration by following #NationalBarcodeDay on social media platforms and sharing how you encounter barcodes each day.