Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) Practice Exam

What does a bar code at a minimum identify?

1. Shipment tracking numbers

2. Product manufacturer and stock keeping unit

3. Expiration dates and safety warnings

4. Retail prices and discount offers

The correct answer is: Product manufacturer and stock keeping unit

A bar code is designed primarily to identify a product by encoding specific information that can be easily read by scanners. At a minimum, most bar codes provide identification for both the product manufacturer and the stock keeping unit (SKU). The manufacturer identifier is a unique code that links the product to the specific company that produces it, while the SKU is a unique identifier assigned by the retailer or manufacturer for tracking inventory. This identification is essential because it allows for efficient inventory management, facilitates sales transactions, and aids in logistics by streamlining the tracking and sorting of products within supply chains. The way bar codes work, combined with their widespread adoption across various industries, ensures that they are fundamental to modern retail and inventory processes. Other options may contain important information but are not the essential function of a bar code as it is primarily meant for product identification. For example, while a bar code might be programmed to include expiration dates or pricing, these are not standard pieces of information encoded within all bar codes. Thus, the focus of a bar code is its role in identifying the manufacturer and the unique SKU associated with a product.