How does the Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code effect/affect the
ultimate consumer?

Hi! Thanks again for the question.

The UPC barcodes eventually provides great benefits to consumers.

"The big winners - as one should have expected given the competitive
nature of the markets involved - were consumers, since U.P.C. scanning
generated efficiencies and productivity improvements that led to lower
costs and/or greater customer service. Ironically, consumer advocates
initially resisted the innovation and jeopardized its success by
insisting that retailers forego substantial cost savings by continuing
to mark prices on individual units."

"A History of the Bar Code"
http://www.eh.net/encyclopedia/brown.bar_code.php

Our next link enumerates some of the benefits brought about by UPC bar
codes.

- "Reduces checkout times." 
- "Provides consumers detailed information about their purchase —
including type and price."
- "Generates electronic coupons for the products that customers
purchase."
- "Provides a means to restrict the sale of alcohol and tobacco
products."

"Backgrounder: Supermarket Technology Firsts"
http://www.fmi.org/media/bg/supermarkettechnologyfirsts.htm

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Regards,               
Easterangel-ga               
Google Answers Researcher

Your prompt and effiecient handling of my question was appreciated

I don't know if this is useful to you but *this* consumer hated the
move away from individually pricing goods because it meant that prices
of stock on the shelves could (and was!) changed at will. It also
meant that the price listed on the shelf did not match the price
scanned at the register and given that my supermarket trolley averaged
80 items, I needed an extremely good memory to recall all those the
shelf listed prices. I now go shopping with my trusty laundry marker
pen and I personally write the shelf price onto the item. I don't want
to *catch* anyone out and I rarely insist on the "if it scans wrong
it's free" policy but I also don't want to be duped into selecting a
product off the shelf because it's a good price only to be charged a
different price at the register without my knowledge. It's also useful
to see how prices of our staple products have gone up when I'm
comparing the prices of our regular purchases from week to week in my
own pantry. The UPC is a really good thing for saving time at the
register but the huge compromise in losing individual pricing was a
big negative for this consumer.