BAR codes - the combination of numbers and lines which appear on everything from ice-cream to greetings cards - have been adopted by 60 countries worldwide.
The main benefit to consumers is they can clear the checkouts more quickly and pricing errors are eliminated with an itemised receipt available after the purchase is made.
In Hong Kong, the introduction of bar coding was made smoother by the Hong Kong Article Numbering Association (HKANA).
This is a non-profit organisation established under an international agreement to introduce and administer the international product numbering and bar coding standards in Hong Kong.
Bar coding and scanning are becoming popular in modern retail stores.
Among the organisations which are members of the HKANA are 7-Eleven stores, Watsons, Cafe de Coral, KPS video stores, Mannings, Park'N Shop, Vitasoy, Wellcome and Wing On.