From Juicy Fruit to Smart Packaging: 50 Years of Innovation

Today I want to share some new projects and our thoughts on the celebration of the 50th Scanniversary!

Did you know that on June 26th, 1974, at a Marsh Supermarket in Ohio, the first UPC item was scanned? This was a huge advancement, until then the cashier had to input the price of each item manually at the checkout counter. Thanks to the technology behind UPC, barcodes were implemented and the buying process was made easier and more automated. 

It took some time for barcodes to appear everywhere, in fact the idea of UPC was launched in 1973 by what is now GS1 and slowly appeared in selected stores, along with barcode readers. This led to the first ever scan, cashier Sharon Buchanan scanned a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum on June 26th 1974!

This milestone has led to some other innovations over the years, and has truly been a game-changer for retail. It is fascinating to see that it has not only sped up checkouts and improved supply chain visibility but also led to the move towards 2D barcodes and QR codes. 

These exciting advancements make the shopping experience more personalised while also contributing to sustainability efforts and communications in retail and packaging.

Recently, Marketing Communication News published “Enhancing ecommerce: powered by connected packaging” an article I wrote discussing the growing importance of connected packaging in the digital commerce landscape. I’ve noticed that as we move toward more digital ways of doing everyday things like grocery shopping, it is easy to think that product packaging is less important. However, I believe it is quite the opposite. You can read the article in full here!

Speaking of Marketing Communication News, I’m running a series of interviews there as well. The first one is out now, with Marco Macoratti who you might know from the Global Connected Packaging Summit 2024!

Lastly, I want to share a new exciting connected packaging project we have been working on with a leading juice brand! The project has just launched and it is perfect for summer, as by scanning the QR code the customer will be led to a quiz that gives them both delicious recipes and the chance to win a brand new kitchen robot! Let me know if you take part in this connected experience, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you are interested in talking about how Connected Packaging can enhance consumer engagement, provide product authentication and traceability, deliver personalised marketing messages, access real-time data insights, and support sustainability initiatives book a zoom call with us ✨