About this website

This is an information site about the inventor of UPC Barcodes, George Laurer.

George Laurer invented the UPC barcode in 1970. UPC barcodes were originally available to purchase in batches for a small one-off fee, however over time UCC/GS1 (the global barcodes standards organisation) started to increase this one-off fee and also introduce expensive annual membership fees. George Laurer was critical of GS1’s high fees & how they were a barrier for small business start-up companies. He wanted UPC barcodes to be available at a reasonable price to all manufacturers.

Original UPC barcode numbers were not subject to the annual fees that UCC/GS1 later introduced, so they could be resold for a one-off fee by barcode resellers. Mr Laurer started the Authenticated UPC Registration Directory to list genuine barcode resellers (who could provide proof that the barcodes they issued were genuine and original UPC barcode numbers – and not made up or stolen). That Directory is no longer active since Mr Laurer passed away in 2019.

About Us

This website is run by the International Barcodes Network (IBN). The IBN is a large global network of barcode resellers, administered through our head office in New Zealand. The barcodes we issue via our Network are legitimate and valid for use. Our IBN Network (and the barcode numbers issued via it) is run by the International Barcodes Ltd company in New Zealand. Our company was endorsed by Mr Laurer as a legitimate barcode reseller when he ran the Authenticated UPC Registration Directory.

We run this website to honour Mr George Laurer and to provide information about the history of the barcode system.