UPC

1. Universal Product Code.

UPC

abbreviation for

1. Universal Product Code See bar code

Example Sentences

By 1974, the committee’s work was mostly done, and UPC barcodes were ready to launch.

From Slate

On June 26, 1974, the first UPC barcode was scanned on a pack of Wrigley’s gum at a grocery store in Troy, Ohio.

From Slate

The backlash began basically as soon as the UPC launched.

From Slate

In a particularly notable example in late 1974 described by Paul V. McEnroe—an engineer who was involved in the development of the UPC—protestors gathered outside a Giant Supermarket in Tysons Corner, Virginia, that was installing barcode systems and briefly stopped the store from opening.

From Slate

Tagging each item required significant labor, and one of the primary reasons grocery stores developed the UPC barcode was to remove the labor costs required by item-level pricing and instead put product prices on shelves.

From Slate