Forward-looking: For almost five decades, the humble barcode has been found on the packaging of almost every consumer item in the world. But there's a push to get rid of them within just two years, ...

GREENSBORO, N.C. — The checkout has changed over the years. First, cashiers manually punched in the price of an item, then the scanners made check-out much quicker, and today, there's self-check-out.

Among the many changes brought about by the pandemic is the widespread use of QR codes, graphical representations of digital data that can be printed and later scanned by a smartphone or other device.

The iconic barcode, a staple of product packaging for nearly 50 years, is set to be replaced by an advanced alternative. QR codes, recognized for their flexibility and efficiency, are poised to take ...