New Bar Codes Designed to Help Avoid Expired Foods [Eat To Live]

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/3d1LVpifYAc/new-bar-codes-designed-to-help-avoid-expired-foods

The New York Times wrote recently about new GS1 DataBars that are making their way to supermarkets and stores near you. According to the article, the bar codes will offer shoppers a better way to save cash and avoid expired goods.

Photo by Pasukaru76.

One of the more interesting benefits that the new GS1 DataBars have over traditional bar codes is that they can help prevent shoppers from purchasing expired goods.

A poultry DataBar, for example, might contain not only the price and product category, but also a sell-by date. If a consumer chose an outdated package, the label would alert the cashier at checkout.

Customers will also soon be able to scan their coupons directly from their mobile phones. Once they are used at the supermarket, the coupons will be erased.

Until the new GS1 bars become standard fare, check out previously mentioned CardStar and KeyRingThing to better streamline your shopping needs.

Building a Smarter Bar Code [New York Times via Consumerist]