The Supermarket Scanner Changed the Way We Buy Groceries Forever: Invented 50 years ago, the curious box deciphered an arcane kind of code to offer shoppers a trip into the future.
The article discusses the invention of the supermarket scanner, which revolutionized the way we buy groceries. In 1974, a cashier named Sharon Buchanan used a new gadget to scan a symbol on a pack of chewing gum, eliminating the need to manually enter prices. This new technology, known as the Spectr...
| Published in: | Smithsonian pp. 1 - 2 |
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| Format: | Article |
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Smithsonian Magazine
Jun2024
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| Summary: | The article discusses the invention of the supermarket scanner, which revolutionized the way we buy groceries. In 1974, a cashier named Sharon Buchanan used a new gadget to scan a symbol on a pack of chewing gum, eliminating the need to manually enter prices. This new technology, known as the Spectra-Physics Model A, made the checkout process smoother and more efficient. The barcode, which had been invented in 1949, finally found its purpose with the arrival of microcomputers and laser scanner technology. The article highlights the impact of the scanner on the grocery industry and its continued presence in modern self-checkout registers. |
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