Walmart has introduced a feature that lets shoppers simply move an item over the self-checkout scanner, which will register the item without needing to scan a visible barcode. The new technology works on any Walmart Great Value branded item. The barcodes are invisible to the naked eye, but are printed all over an item, enabling it to be easily picked up by a self-checkout scanner. The invisible barcodes were created to speed up checkout for workers and customers, who now no longer have to search for a barcode and angle the item to scan it. The imaging cameras can also pick up several products at the same time. The bonus is that the imaging makes it harder for shoplifters to pocket items without properly scanning them, addressing the rising theft that has become an increasing concern for many retailers. Other large supermarkets such as Wegmans have also introduced invisible barcodes.
