A barcode is considered as a small image of lines or bars and spaces that are affixed to retail store items, identification cards, and postal mail which are made for identifying a specific product number, person or location. The barcodes have a sequence of vertical bars and spaces for representation of some numbers and other symbols. The information or data is to be read by the barcode scanner. Many industries utilize Symbol scanners for retrieving the data. The applications of barcodes is varied in different industries and departments.
- Each and every item of a grocery store or a department store have a barcode on it. It keeps track of large number of items in a store. This helps in reducing the instances of shoplifting that involves price tag swapping, however shoplifters can print their own barcodes. Both the retailers and consumers have been benefited by the savings generated after the use of barcodes.
- Unique identification of a customer can be done by retail chain membership cards that use barcodes.
- For patient identification, barcodes help in permitting the clinical staff to access health of vital patient data. The data includes allergy warnings, medical history, and other potentially important medical information.
- Movement of rental cars, nuclear waste, airline luggage, mail, express mail and parcels can be tracked.
- Certain entertainment event tickets may also contain barcodes. These are to be checked before the entry of people to theatres, cinemas, sports arenas, and fairgrounds.
- Barcode is also being used by GS1 which is the most widely used supply chain standards system in the world.
- The barcode can be used in managing and tracking the vehicle fleet and the driver.
- They can be used for security in locking and unlocking entrances and exits throughout the plant or an industry.
- Two dimensional barcodes can be used to embed a hyperlink to a web page. This can be read by a capable cellphone and it helps in browsing the linked website.