What is Universal Product Code (UPC)?

A Universal Product Code, or UPC, is like a special number on a shopping item that helps stores know what it is.

Imagine you're in a toy store, and there are hundreds of toys, cars, blocks, dolls. Each one has a little black and white bar code on the back. That bar code is the UPC. It looks like a series of lines and spaces, right? When you scan it with a scanner, like the ones at the grocery store, it reads that special number and tells the computer exactly what toy (or candy, or shirt) you picked.

Think of the UPC as a name tag for each item. Just like how your name helps people know who you are, the UPC helps stores know which item you're buying. Every time someone scans it, the store knows how much that item costs and can add it to your total.

When you’re done shopping, the cashier uses the scanner, and poof, all your items are added up quickly! No more counting or guessing, just a little bar code doing its job.