To marvel at the choice and convenience of modern shopping, go visit your grocery-store mustard aisle. My local Whole Foods sells more than 20 different kinds: basic yellow mustard and Grey Poupon, ...

The next generation of barcodes includes a heavy emphasis on QR codes and smartphone-use. Fifty years ago, on June 26, 1974, the first universal product code (UPC) was scanned at a Marsh Supermarket ...

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The checkout has changed over the years. First, cashiers manually punched in the price of an item, then the scanners made check-out much quicker, and today, there's self-check-out.

The iconic barcode, a staple of product packaging for nearly 50 years, is set to be replaced by an advanced alternative. QR codes, recognized for their flexibility and efficiency, are poised to take ...

If there's a shortage of anything, it's understanding of how QR codes work.

To learn more about our editorial approach, explore The Direct Message methodology. In 2010, brands rushed to plaster QR codes on everything from movie posters to running shoe packaging. Universal ...