UPC

Universal Product Code (UPC)

Standard bar code used to identify grocery and other retail merchandise. In the UPC system, the five digits on the left are assigned to a particular manufacturer or maker and the five digits on the right are used by that manufacturer to identify a specific type or make of product.

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UPC

(Universal Product Code) The standard bar code printed on retail merchandise, which is administered by GS1 US, Brussels, Belgium and Lawrenceville, NJ (www.gs1.org). The UPC is read by passing the bar code over a scanner at checkout counters in supermarkets and retail stores.

The Global Trade Item Number
Officially known as the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), the 12-digit number contains a company identification number assigned by GS1 US, the product number and a check digit for validating accuracy. Unlike the EPC code in an RFID system, UPC codes do not include a unique serial number and cannot be used for individual item tracking.

UPC bar codes and scanners were introduced in the early 1970s. In the mid-1980s, UPCs were added to shipping containers, and mandates from retailers such as K-Mart and Wal-Mart caused them to be widely adopted. See bar code scanner. Contrast with EPC and RFID.

UPC Codes Everywhere

You can hardly pick up a retail package that does not have a UPC bar code on it.