What is a UPC Symbol?

A UPC symbol is a series of thick and thin lines stamped on packages, readable by laser scanners. Some may refer to this area as a bar code. 'UPC' stands for Universal Product Code: a standardized means of identifying the manufacturer and the specific description of the product. A UPC symbol allows different retailers to keep track of the products they receive from the same manufacturers and vendors. Every manufacturer is identified by the first five numbers scanned on the UPC symbol, and the specific product is identified by the next set of numbers. A special number called a 'check code' is added to thwart the use of a counterfeit UPC symbol. Even if a hacker discovered the codes for the manufacturer and the product, the secret check code number must match precisely.

The grocery industry first introduced the UPC symbol in the 1970s. According to legend, the first item ever scanned by a bar code reader was a pack of chewing gum. The use of a UPC symbol and the computerized inventory system it represents vastly improved the speed at the checkout lanes and reduced the need for individual pricing on products. The customer may have only recognized the pricing feature of a UPC symbol, but the grocery store manager benefited from the inventory and manufacturer information as well. Orders could be based on the computerized results of sales, not on time-consuming physical inventories.

The use of a UPC symbol has continued to grow in popularity as other retailers realize the benefits of computerized inventory control. Other services such as customer reward programs can also be managed through the use of a UPC symbol. The technology behind generating a bar code can now be obtained by independent vendors and start-up companies. A self-published author, for example, can use a simple computer program to generate a proper UPC symbol for sales in a local bookstore. Many retailers now can provide their own UPC symbol for specialized products not covered under the present UPC codes.

Although the lines of a UPC symbol are scanned by lasers and read much like binary code (light and dark replacing 0 and 1), there may still be some standard numbers and letters included. These numbers are often used as a secondary means of data entry should the laser reader become inoperable. They are not, however, the precise numbers contained in the UPC coding itself. This is yet another means of preventing counterfeiters from adding a false UPC symbol for a substantial discount. Adding or subtracting lines from a UPC symbol will also result in a rejection, because the new numbers generated will not match the check code number.