I think you must know that every product which you have in your home have a barcode. So what this barcode is all about? Why we check barcode in every product that we buy? Why every barcode starts with 890 ? why company are paying lakhs of rupees for each barcode? There are a lot of question to arise and we will be able to clear all questions at the end of the blog.
A machine-readable code in the form of numbers and a pattern of parallel lines of varying widths, printed on a commodity and used especially for stock control. This is the general definition of barcode but is it enough to know? No. Definitely we need to learn more about it. So some facts are as follows:
A normal barcode has 95 lines consists of black and white parallel line where first three, central three and last three lines looks like below.
The no. of lines that is right and left to the centre is 42 each. In these 84 lines, every 7 lines consists of one block consists of one number. Every block (7 lines) consisting of single no. are different in width (black and white) of right and left. Same no. allocated to each block in both sides does not have same width.
Number on the left side have even no. of wide space and no. on the right side have odd no. of wide space which helps the barcode reader to know from which side it should read as many a times the handling of the product might be opposite which leads to make the machine to read from left instead of right.
For instance,
if the machine reads wide space ‘even’ then it have to scan from left to right and if the machine reads wide space ‘odd’ then it have to scan from right to left.
These all comes under technology and that technology was made by a company named GS1 ( Global Standard 1) which is a type of non profit organization made a standard for every company and it also alloted different series to different countries. For instance, if you see barcode of USA ,then it starts from the range 1 to 19 and if you see In India, it starts from 890 and the format of the barcode is country’s code then company code then product code. GS1 makes money by providing barcodes to different companies for their products.
Now if we want to know which barcode is allotted to which company then you should go to this link
https://gepir.gs1.org/index.php/search-by-gtin
Here you will find all the details of the barcode.
If that barcode is not started with 890 then it is definitely made for special authorities, otherwise you have to purchase barcode if you want to sell your products.
Now, most important question. Why to use barcode?
In earlier times, inventory management was difficult because of the confusion regarding details and all but barcode makes the work easier and it helps the companies to keep full details with proper management.
After this, there is one more technology in similar lines which is QR Code. We will discuss it on next blog.
Thank you
SANJAY KUMAR 