(Universal Product Code) The standard bar code printed on retail merchandise, which is administered by GS1 US, Brussels, Belgium and Lawrenceville, NJ (www.gs1.org). The UPC is read by passing the bar code over a scanner at checkout counters in supermarkets and retail stores.

The Global Trade Item Number
Officially known as the Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), the 12-digit number contains a company identification number assigned by GS1 US, the product number and a check digit for validating accuracy. Unlike the EPC code in an RFID system, UPC codes do not include a unique serial number and cannot be used for individual item tracking.

UPC bar codes and scanners were introduced in the early 1970s. In the mid-1980s, UPCs were added to shipping containers, and mandates from retailers such as K-Mart and Wal-Mart caused them to be widely adopted. See bar code scanner. Contrast with EPC and RFID.