Everything You Need To Know About UPC Bar Codes

The bar codes on your product labels tell a lot about the items. But how do you choose or find these UPC labels? To help you better organize and describe your products, here’s everything you need to know about UPC bar codes.

What Is a UPC?

UPC stands for “unique product code.” Each UPC bar code is a signifier for a product you own or sell. These descriptions must match one-to-one so that no two products link to the same bar code. Bar codes allow employees and customers to scan items and find out more about the product description, materials, price, and stock quantity. UPCs are valuable tools for inventory management and sales transactions. Without a unified organization system, accounting for each item quickly at checkout would be impossible.

Why Do Stores Need Them?

Stores need UPCs so that they can manage their products with ease. For example, if you own or operate a grocery store, a UPC allows stockers to scan your back stock and put it out on the sales floor in the appropriate place. UPCs aren’t just digital signifiers; they translate into physical, scannable bar codes. You will need UPC label holders on each shelf for every item so that people can navigate your aisles.

How Do You Acquire a UPC?

If you want to display specialty or self-produced items, you’ll need to acquire a unique product code. There is one central supplier of UPCs: Global Standard 1, or GS1. This is a nonprofit organization that specializes in standards development for business procedures. Like comparable organizations in other industries, GS1 allows businesses to handle their products securely and systematically. When you have a UPC from GS1, you can directly add it to your product packaging and labels.

Once you understand everything you need to know about UPC bar codes, it’s up to you to find and implement your unique product codes. If you have any organization or signage needs for your business, reach out to our team at The Global Display Solution today.