Bars to be scanned, in brief

The answer to the crossword question “Bars to be scanned, in brief” is UPC. UPC stands for Universal Product Code, which is a barcode symbology that is widely used in the United States and other countries for tracking trade items in stores. The UPC barcode consists of a series of vertical bars and spaces of varying widths that represent a unique 12-digit number assigned to each product. When scanned, the UPC code allows retailers to quickly and accurately identify products and track inventory.