Something I learned at ALDI -- multiple barcodes = efficiency!
I attended a blogger event held by ALDI. All opinions here, however, are my own.
More on my ALDI trip later -- but this one struck me as SO cool, and as: How did I never notice this before? See this innocent bag of dates, above, with its standard barcode on the front.
Flip it over and what do you see? Two more on the back! That's three barcodes on one small bag.
- All ALDI brands have multiple barcodes!
I went around and checked some of the ALDI products in my house -- yup! That chicken broth I bought earlier? Barcodes on all four sides. The Clancy's tortilla chips? Four barcodes. Because these are ALDI brands and they control the production, they can design the packaging to their own specifications.
Um, why multiple barcodes?
Think about it: No matter what way a cashier picks up a product, it will scan. She doesn't have to hunt for a barcode, doesn't have to flip the product over, doesn't have to contort it to fit over the scanner or swap out for a hand-held scanner: It will scan. That's one of the reasons they can move people through the lines so fast, and also reduces the risk of wrist injury, because there's no twisting and bending, just grabbing a product and scanning.
Maybe I'm a geek but
That's cool. More on efficiency and other topics later, but I just wanted to share this tidbit real quick so you can have fun counting the barcodes on your own products. 😉
That is really interesting. Aldi lines always move so quickly. I remember back in the day before they scanned items the cashiers would punch in the price of each item. And the lines still moved crazy fast. Love Aldi!
Walmart needs to adopt this method.
Other stores can't -- ALDI can do it because it's their own brands and they control the production of the packaging, but Walmart would have to get Kellogg's and GM and everyone else to do it, lol.
I wonder if things ever get double scanned because two barcodes are read by mistake as they are passing it under the scanner.
This is very interesting!
I've seen the cashier remove duplicate scans occasionally and wondered what she was removing because I didn't see her scan the item twice. I think that it is something they watch for. I always check my receipts and they are always correct at Aldi.
What would be really cool is if there were bar codes on coupons that would actually scan!
Lol exactly
HA! agreed!
I think its great that there thinking about there employees and how this effects them. I myself have Carpal tunnel syndrome and have had surgery in both hands. The lasting effects are difficult. So any thing they can do to help there employees is awesome. Kudos to Aldi's.
Betzy, I was struck by your comment. I had carpal tunnel surgery on both my hands too (thanks to the pregnancy of the twins), and I have to say, they are not the same. I feel like they are just weak. Is it the same for you? I don't know anyone else who has had 2 hands done, but I also wasn't crazy about my doctor. I'm sure he was capable, just a terrible manner.
I'm with you rachel! That's crazy cool & I shall add it to the many reasons I now go to aldi all the time. Great prices, no coupons.
Interesting. I actually JUST noticed the multiple barcodes a few days ago myself, only because I was trying out the barcode scanning feature on this weight loss app I was trying out on my phone. I tested it on a box of fit and active pasta and was surprised it actually was able to successfully scan my aldi pasta, but also left me wondering why my box of pasta had SO MANY barcodes..Now I know!
Found this out last year when I commented to cashier that I couldn't believe how fast she scanned everything. She showed me the secret then. Brilliant move on Aldi's part to keep their lines moving.
Wow! Amazing! lol
That is really smart. One of those "penny pinching" things that the Aldi's guys are famous for. Not only does the line move faster, but since it moves faster, they can get away with one less cashier, and at the end of the day they save money. As someone who prefers the self-checkout lines but hates it when I can't find a barcode or get it to scan, I think this is brilliant.
Multiple barcodes with no legit 13-digits EAN against them??? Guest that when you buy non-brand products, no legit barcodes will be needed....no need to trace the source of the products, no need to check if the information in the barcode matches the product description.... Just give me the products with attractive prices!!!!yeah
The number is printed below the main barcode, in non-barcode text, such as 04198168155 for a peanut butter there.