All goods for sale in supermarkets have bar codes which contain data that can uniquely identify them.
The bar code is read by a bar code scanner/reader at the checkout and the data is read and used to look up the details of the item in a database on the supermarket's computer system.
Self-service checkouts work because all the information about the item does not need to be entered again since it is already on the store database.
The customer scans the bar code and the details are retrieved and displayed on the screen.
Staff also use hand-held or portable readers to:
- Scan the items on the shelves
- Count the number of items on the shelf
- Send the data to the store computer system to update the database so the store knows how many items are in stock.
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