Barcodes are ubiquitous in today’s world, used in retail, logistics, manufacturing, and many other industries. They allow for efficient and accurate tracking of products and inventory, as well as simplifying the checkout process for consumers.
In this article, we’ll explore interesting statistics related to barcodes, covering everything from their history to their modern-day applications.
Key Barcode Statistics 2023 – MY Choice
- Barcode technology was first patented in 1952 by Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver.
- The first barcode was scanned in a supermarket in Ohio in 1974.
- Today, there are over 5 million barcode scans per day globally.
- The most common type of barcode is the Universal Product Code (UPC), which consists of 12 digits.
- Barcodes are used in various industries, including retail, healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics.
- In 2019, the global barcode scanner market size was valued at $3.5 billion and is projected to reach $5.5 billion by 2027.
- Barcode technology has helped to reduce errors in inventory management and improve supply chain efficiency.
- QR codes, a type of barcode that can store more information than traditional barcodes, are becoming increasingly popular in marketing and advertising.
- The use of barcodes has led to the development of various applications, such as mobile barcode scanners and inventory management software.
- Despite the increasing popularity of newer technologies such as RFID, barcodes remain a cost-effective and reliable method of tracking and managing inventory.
Barcode usage statistics
- In 2021, the global barcode scanner market size was valued at $2.4 billion.
- The barcode market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.6% from 2021 to 2028.
- In 2020, the retail sector was the largest user of barcodes, accounting for 50% of the total barcode market.
- The healthcare sector is the second-largest user of barcodes, with an estimated market size of $650 million in 2021.
- In 2021, the logistics and transportation industry is expected to spend $10.6 billion on barcode solutions.
Benefits of using barcodes
- Barcodes can help increase inventory accuracy by up to 99%.
- Barcode scanning can save up to 2 seconds per item compared to manual entry.
- By using barcodes, businesses can reduce labor costs associated with inventory management by up to 30%.
- Barcodes can help reduce errors in data entry by up to 95%.
- The use of barcodes can help improve supply chain visibility and efficiency.
| Category | Statistic |
|---|---|
| Increase in QR Code usage agreed by respondents | 46.75% |
| Increase of QR code usage from 21% in 2013 to 34% in 2017 | 34% |
| QR code usage in East Asia in 2019 | 15% |
| QR Code enabled smart packaging market size in 2021 | $5.3 billion |
| QR Code enabled smart packaging projected value in 2021 | $7.8 billion |
| Contactless payment market expected size in 2027 | $4.68 trillion |
| Forecasted market share of QR Code/barcode recognition among image recognition technology in China in 2020 | 17.1% |
| Medication errors reduction | 50% |
| Adverse drug reactions reduction | 75% |
| Retailers not confident of their product data | 80% |
| Shoppers use devices to scan and help them shop | 84% |
| Shoppers unlikely to buy products from a brand after experience with inaccurate product data | 86% |
| Inventory inaccuracy lost sales percentage | 8.7% |
| Shoppers expecting to view in | 71% |
| Increase in sales when buyonline and pickupin store fulfillment is available | 15%-30% |
| Number of American warehouses growth since 2010 | 15% |
| US retailers inventory for every $1 of sales | $1.43 |
| Cost increase due to inaccurate transactional data | 25% |
| Barcode Technology | |
| Probability of assigning the sequence to the wrong species (θ = 1) until T/N is larger than 3 | 5% |
| Required divergence time for assigning the sequence to the correct species (θ = 5.0) | >2.7 |
| Required divergence time for assigning the sequence to the correct species (θ = 1.0) | >4.6 |
| QR Code Usage by Country | |
| QR Code usage in Germany | 29% |
| QR Code usage in France | 28% |
| QR Code usage in the UK | 26% |
| QR Code usage in the US | 26% |
| QR Code usage in Developed Nations | 25%-30% |
| QR Code usage in North America | 8% |
| QR Code usage in Latin America | 13% |
| QR Code usage in Asia Pacific | 15% |
| QR Code usage in Europe and Middle East Asia | 10% |
| Estimated US households that scanned a QR code in 2020 | 11 million |
| Estimated US scans of QR codes in 2018 | 9.76 million |
| Expected percentage of order, checkout, and payment services that will become contactless by 2024 | 80% |
| Percentage of participants that feel most secure at a restaurant, bar, or café | 42.55% |
| Percentage of participants that feel the same level of assurance at a gym, pool, or any other fitness center | 19.4% |
| Smartphone Penetration | |
| Global smartphone penetration in 2017 | 59.01% |
| Global smartphone penetration in 2020 | 78.05% |
| High-speed mobile internet access in Feb 2023 | 62.5% |
| Increase in internet users from Jan 2021 to Feb 2023 | 4% |
Types of barcodes
- The most commonly used barcode type is the UPC barcode, which is used for retail sales and product identification.
- QR codes are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to store more data and be scanned by smartphones.
- Data Matrix codes are used for small item tracking and have the ability to store up to 2,335 alphanumeric characters.
- Code 128 barcodes are commonly used for logistics and transportation applications.
Barcode scanning devices
- Handheld barcode scanners are the most commonly used type of scanner.
- Smartphone scanners are becoming increasingly popular due to their convenience and low cost.
- Fixed-mount scanners are used in industrial applications such as conveyor belt scanning.
- Wearable scanners are used in industries where hands-free scanning is required.
Table 1: QR Code Usage Statistics
| Data | Value |
|---|---|
| QR code usage in Philippines, South Korea, and Singapore | 15% of population |
| QR code usage in schools in Algeria | Used for blended and interactive learning |
| Increase in QR code interactions from 2018 to 2019 | 26% |
| Increase in repeat engagement of scanning QR codes from 2018-2019 | 35% |
| Growth in QR code statistics from 2018-2019 | 28% |
| Percentage of world population that will have access to high | 90% |
| Smartphone ownership rate in South Africa (2021) | 80% |
| Smartphone ownership rate in the United Kingdom | Almost 83% |
| QR code usage on Apple devices | 92% |
Table 2: DNA Barcoding Success Rates
| Data | Value |
|---|---|
| Success rate for various assignment methods with θ = 3 | 86.30% to 87.25% |
| Success rate for various assignment methods with θ = 30 | 93.50% to 96.20% |
| Success rate for all methods with a speciation time of Nf/10 | Below 66% |
| Success rate for all methods with increased polymorphism | About 75% |
| Success rate for almost all methods for very long separation times | 100% |
| Success rate for the 1 NN method with θ = 3 for n = 3 and n = 25 | 78.35% and 91.05%, respectively |
| Success rate for all methods for the Astraptes data set | Around 99% |
| Success rate for almost all methods for the three Amazonian butterfly data sets | Above 90% |
Table 3: Barcode Mapping Results
| Data | Value |
|---|---|
| Additional mapped reads for NE sample | 56,015 (0.25%) |
| Additional mapped reads for ERG sample | 45,321 (0.27%) |
| Additional mapped reads for MRG sample | 40,450 (0.18%) |
| Additional mapped reads for yusa library with errors | 81,355 (0.03%) |
| Additional mapped reads for sequencing or PCR errors | 15,406,665 (5.34%) |
| Additional mapped reads for Barcas compared to edgeR | 8% more reads |
Table 4: Small Business Statistics
| Data | Value |
|---|---|
| Percentage of small business leaders who think accountants can’t reduce taxes | 62% |
| Percentage of small businesses that outsource tax preparation | 70% |
| Percentage of small businesses satisfied with their accounting services | 88% |
| Percentage of small businesses with a CFO or controller | 42% |
| Percentage of companies with an asset management system | 17% |
| Percentage of small business owners who don’t understand how ghost assets impact their books | 47% |
Table 5: Eukaryotic Species
| Data | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated number of eukaryotic species | 8.7 million |
| Number of named eukaryotic species | 2 million |
Barcode security
- Barcodes can be easily copied or duplicated, which can lead to counterfeiting and fraud.
- Companies can use security measures such as holographic labels and hidden barcodes to prevent counterfeiting.
- 2D barcodes such as QR codes can be encrypted to increase security.
Barcode standards
- The International Article Number (EAN) barcode standard is used for product identification and retail sales.
- The Universal Product Code (UPC) barcode standard is used for product identification in North America.
- The Code 39 barcode standard is commonly used for industrial and logistics applications.
- The Code 128 barcode standard is used for inventory management and logistics applications.
Conclusion:
Barcodes have become an integral part of many industries, providing benefits such as increased efficiency, accuracy, and cost savings. With the continued growth of e-commerce and automation, the use of barcodes is expected to increase even further.
Businesses can benefit from using barcodes by improving inventory accuracy, reducing labor costs, and increasing supply chain visibility.
With the variety of barcode types, scanning devices, security measures, and standards available, businesses can choose the best barcode solution for their specific needs.
