Man Who Popularized UPC Barcode Passes Away at 81

Alan Haberman did not invent the universal product code (AKA UPC) barcode, but he is largely responsible for its selection over competing product marking standards decades ago.

His death, in Newton, Mass., was of complications of heart and lung disease, his family said.

Mr. Haberman led the industry committee that chose the bar code over other contenders — circles, bull’s-eyes and seemingly random agglomerations of dots — in 1973.

By all accounts, he spent years cajoling manufacturers, retailers and the public to accept the strange new symbol.

Source: Alan Haberman, Who Ushered In the Bar Code, Dies at 81