Barcode Scanner Market Analysis North America, APAC, Europe, South America, Middle East and Africa - US, Canada, China, Japan, Germany - Size and Forecast 2024-2028

Barcode Scanner Market Size 2024-2028 

The barcode scanner market size is projected to increase by USD 3.51 billion,  at a CAGR of 8.61% between between 2023 and 2028. The market's growth rate hinges on various factors, notably the rising adoption of wearable barcode scanners in the manufacturing industry, driven by their efficiency and mobility. Additionally, the growing e-commerce industry fuels demand for barcode scanning solutions to streamline logistics and enhance order fulfilment processes. Moreover, the increasing need for better inventory management across various sectors underscores the importance of barcode scanning technology in optimizing stock levels and reducing operational costs. These factors collectively contribute to the market's trajectory, shaping the development and adoption of innovative barcode scanning solutions tailored to meet evolving industry needs. As businesses strive for greater efficiency and competitiveness, the demand for advanced barcode scanning technologies is expected to continue rising, driving sustained growth in the market for the foreseeable future.

The market growth and forecasting report includes key player's detailed analyses of the competitive landscape of the market and information about 20 market companies, including ASSA ABLOY AB, AURES Group, Bluebird Inc., CipherLab Co. Ltd., Cognex Corp., Datalogic SpA, DENSO Corp., Generalscan Inc., Honeywell International Inc., MilDef Group AB, Newland Digital Technology Co. Ltd., OMRON Corp., Opticon, SATO Holdings Corp., SICK AG, TVS Electronics Ltd., Unitech Electronics Co. Ltd., Zebra Technologies Corp., NCR Voyix Corp, and Brady Corp. Additionally, CipherLab Co. Ltd specializes in barcode scanners, providing options like the HH83 Handheld Barcode Scanner, V4500 Wireless Bluetooth Programmable Barcode Scanner, and CR2700 Handheld Wireless Handle Barcode Scanner.

What will be the Size of the Market During the Forecast Period?

For More Highlights About this Report, Download Free Sample in a Minute 

Market Dynamics 

The market is driven by e-retailers and the warehousing sector's increasing reliance on barcode technology. Emerging trends include cutting-edge features and technological advantages such as Virtual Reality (VR) integration and Blockchain solutions. Cloud-based solutions and portable computers further enhance efficiency. However, challenges persist, including the need for accurate barcode verification, machine vision solutions for complex environments, and ensuring seamless integration with industrial automation. Asset tracking and image-based barcode readers are gaining prominence, but overcoming limitations related to centralized networks and electrical signals remains critical for market growth. Our researchers analyzed the market research and growth data with 2023  as the base year, along with the key market growth analysis, trends, and challenges. A holistic analysis of drivers, trends, and challenges will help companies refine their marketing strategies to gain a competitive advantage. 

Key Market  Driver

The growing e-commerce industry is notably driving market growth. Conventional brick-and-mortar retail stores are losing ground rapidly to e-commerce sites, such as Amazon.com and eBay. The e-commerce industry uses barcode scanners for inventory management and tracking products. With the increasing popularity of e-commerce, the demand has increased further. Barcode scanners enable single-strip barcode labels to be scanned directly during product packaging with a minimal amount of material, which enables cost-cutting. This also enables huge e-commerce operations to operate based on their proprietary systems, thus providing an extra level of management and control while moving and storing items.

Moreover, barcode scanners not only help e-commerce players but also facilitate the buying experience for consumers. Consumers can download apps that allow them to scan items and products, which enables easy ordering. The e-commerce sector is dominated by online marketplaces, private shopping sites, and multi-category retailers. Gitti Gidiyor, Hepsiburada, Amazon, Alibaba, and Araba.com are some of the major e-commerce companies globally. Thus, the growth of the e-commerce retailing sector is expected to drive the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Significant Market Trends

Increasing adoption of two-dimensional (2D) barcodes is an emerging trend shaping the market growth. The increase in the adoption of 2D barcodes is driving the growth of the market. 2D barcodes, such as QR, Data Matrix, and Portable Data File or PDF417, are being increasingly adopted across the retail, healthcare, transportation and logistics industries. QR codes are the most popular 2D barcodes used in end-user industries such as retail. These QR codes can be scanned even using mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. PDF417 consists of four bars along with a space, with each pattern being 17 units long. This 2D barcode is primarily used for inventory management in the retail, healthcare, and transportation industries. Data Matrix barcodes are generally used to mark small items with a square or rectangle pattern known as a matrix.

However, 2D barcodes are compact and can store significantly more information than 1D barcodes. They can be read easily because of their ability to hold information both horizontally and vertically. Moreover, they contain ten times more information than a 1D barcode can hold. These codes can also contain logos and pictures, thereby allowing better and more efficient identification of the product. For instance, in January 2023, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai introduced 2D barcode scanners for the seamless entry of passengers. Thus, such factors are expected to drive the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Major Market Restrain

Increased adoption of RFID solutions is a significant challenge hindering market growth. Several manufacturers are choosing RFID tags over traditional barcodes and scanners. RFID tagging is an ID system that uses small RFID devices for identification and tracking purposes. A barcode is a small image of lines or bars and spaces that are attached to products that help in identifying a particular product based on the number or location. RFID tags and barcodes are used for tracking assets and reading and collecting data. Though RFID tags and barcodes are similar in terms of their functionalities, they show a significant difference in the method of operation. Companies are offering RFID scanners that can scan tags as well as barcodes.

For instance, Zebra Technologies offers a series of handheld RFID scanners. These are typically used for the same functionality as barcode scanners, including inventory management. Therefore, the market faces a high threat of substitutes. The superior properties of RFID scanners, when compared with barcode scanners, will pose a threat to demand in the market in focus. Such factors are expected to intensify during the forecast period, thereby hindering the growth of the market during the forecast period.

Market Segmentation 

The market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by diverse applications and technological advancements. E-retailers and the warehousing sector rely heavily on barcode technology to streamline operations and improve efficiency. With cutting-edge features and technological advantages, modern barcode scanners offer enhanced performance and reliability. The market shows potential growth as emerging technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) and Blockchain are integrated into barcode scanning solutions, enabling new functionalities and applications. Cloud-based solutions facilitate seamless data management and accessibility, particularly for asset tracking and industrial automation applications. Portable computers equipped with barcode verifiers and machine vision solutions offer flexibility and versatility in various environments. Image-based barcode readers and CCD devices provide high-quality scanning capabilities, ensuring accurate data capture from printed barcodes. The integration of centralized networks and electrical signal processing enables efficient data transmission and decoding, supported by light sources, lenses, and optical sensors. Two-dimensional barcode scanners expand scanning capabilities, catering to evolving industry needs for comprehensive data capture and analysis.

Market Segmentation By Type

The market share growth by the rugged barcode scanner segment will be significant during the forecast period. The rugged barcode scanner segment by type is expected to grow during the forecast period. Rugged barcode scanners are increasingly being used in the industrial sector and in logistics applications to scan tags on products. In these applications, rugged barcode scanners are being increasingly preferred over consumer-grade barcode scanners as they have a lower cost of ownership and help achieve faster, consistent, and higher operational efficiency. The demand is prominently driven by their use in the retail and hospitality industries.

Get a glance at the market contribution of various segments Download the PDF Sample

The rugged barcode scanner segment was the largest and was valued at USD 4.77 billion in 2018. The use of these rugged handheld barcode scanners in retail and hospitality applications helps end-users achieve lower transactional time as well as real-time data storage and monitoring, which helps these end-users achieve optimal operational efficiency and have a better understanding of customer demands. One of the major uses of rugged barcode scanners in retail is the identification of employees. Staff members in certain retail stores require cards to be scanned using barcode scanners, which allows them to gain entry into the storeroom. These barcode labels help track the timings of employees and record them going in and out of the store more effectively than the punch card system. All these factors will enhance the growth of the rugged barcode scanner segment of the market during the forecast period.

Market Segmentation By Product

Multipurpose mobile computers offer scanning services and are integrated with systems such as RFID, Bluetooth, voice recognition, biometrics, and global positioning systems. For instance, Honeywell International Inc.'s Dolphin CN80 rugged mobile computer offers multipurpose mobile computing, data collection, and communication that can be used in various healthcare applications, such as specimen collection and inventory management. Mobile computer-based barcode scanners help supervise the movement of raw materials and finished goods across assembly lines in warehouses. In addition, they enhance efficiency, reduce lag time, and improve productivity. Wrist computers, a type of mobile computer, provide an analytical base for inventory management. The increase in warehouse management activities in industries will positively impact the mobile computer segment. The adoption of mobile computer-based barcode scanners enables efficient warehouse management activities and eliminates demand-supply gaps through the conceivable tracking and tracing of items. These factors will enhance the growth of the mobile computer segment of the market during the forecast period.

Regional Overview

For more insights on the market share of various regions Download PDF Sample now!

North America is estimated to contribute 28% to the growth of the global market during the forecast period. Technavio's analysts have provided extensive insight into the market forecast, detailing the regional trends and drivers influencing the market's trajectory throughout the forecast period. The market in the region has witnessed significant growth in recent years, owing to technological advancements and the increasing adoption of barcode labels across various industry verticals. Barcode scanners are used to scan the barcodes on various materials, such as paper, plastic, or metal. These barcode scanners aid in automating the scanning process, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing the number of human errors. In North America, the market is driven by the growing demand from the retail sector. The retail industry uses barcode scanners for inventory management and tracking products. 

In addition, the introduction of barcode scanners in the warehousing and storage, hospitality, and entertainment industries is contributing to the growth of the market in North America. Several industrial plants have been planned to be established in the region, which is expected to create a demand for barcode scanners to maintain appropriate inventory. For instance, in May 2022, Hyundai Motor Co. announced the construction of a new manufacturing plant for electric vehicles in Georgia, US. The construction and development of such manufacturing facilities will create demand in the market for industrial barcode scanners, thereby propelling the growth of the regional market during the forecast period.

Market Customer Landscape

The market forecasting report includes the adoption lifecycle of the market research and growth, covering from the innovator’s stage to the laggard’s stage. It focuses on adoption rates in different regions based on penetration. Furthermore, the report also includes key purchase criteria and drivers of price sensitivity to help companies evaluate and develop their market growth and trends strategies.

Global Market Customer Landscape

Market Companies

Companies are implementing various strategies, such as strategic alliances, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, geographical expansion, and product/service launches, to enhance their presence in the market.

Datalogic SpA  - The company offers data man 8700 series and DataMan 8050 series handheld barcode readers, which are deisgned to accommodate 1D and 2D label based barcodes as well as direct part marked codes for widest variety of surfaces and marking methods.

Market analysis and report of qualitative and quantitative analysis of companies has been conducted to help clients understand the wider business environment as well as the strengths and weaknesses of key market players. Data is qualitatively analyzed to categorize companies as pure play, category-focused, industry-focused, and diversified; it is quantitatively analyzed to categorize companies as dominant, leading, strong, tentative, and weak.

Segment Overview

The market research report provides comprehensive data (region-wise segment analysis), with forecasts and estimates in "USD Billion" for the period 2024-2028, as well as historical data from 2018-2022 for the following segments.

• Type Outlook
  • Rugged barcode scanner
  • Non-rugged barcode scanner

• Product Outlook
  • Mobile computers
  • Handheld barcode scanner
  • Self-checkout barcode scanner
  • POS retail barcode scanner

• Region Outlook
  • North America
    • The U.S.
    • Canada
  • South America
    • Chile
    • Brazil
    • Argentina 
  • Europe
    • U.K.
    • Germany
    • France
    • Rest of Europe
  • APAC
    • China
    • India
  • Middle East & Africa
    • Saudi Arabia
    • South Africa
    • Rest of the Middle East & Africa

Market Analyst Overview

The market offers a diverse range of solutions to meet various needs across industries. Options like stationary barcode scanners, wired barcode scanners, and wireless barcode scanners cater to different environments and requirements, ensuring flexibility and efficiency. Technologies such as camera-based readers, charge-coupled device readers, and laser scanners provide accurate and reliable scanning capabilities. Industries ranging from retail and commercial to commercial aviation and defense benefit from advanced barcode scanning solutions, facilitating tasks such as inventory control and recording product information. With the emergence of smartphone-based scanners and cloud based solutions, barcode scanning becomes more accessible and convenient, improving processes in logistics and warehouse management and shopping malls. Enhanced features like augmented reality (AR) and advanced image capturing further elevate the capabilities of barcode scanners, driving efficiency and accuracy in data capture and management.

Further, advanced technologies such as camera based readers, charge coupled device readers, and laser scanners ensure accurate and efficient data capture. Omni directional barcode scanners and pen-type readers provide versatility for different scanning tasks, while RFID readers enable seamless identification and tracking. Smartphone-based scanners and cordless scanners offer mobility and ease of use in diverse settings, from supermarkets to medical facilities. With a focus on accuracy and reliability, barcode scanners play a crucial role in preventing medication-related mistakes and ensuring compliance with National Drug Code standards. Enhanced features like image based barcode reader and wireless networking further enhance efficiency and productivity in various industries, supported by robust infrastructure, including barcode printers, electronic devices, and centralized networks.

Market Scope
Report Coverage	Details
Page number	174
Base year	2023
Historic period	2018-2022
Forecast period	2024-2028
Growth momentum & CAGR	Accelerate at a CAGR of 8.61%
Market Growth 2024-2028	USD 3.51 billion
Market structure	Fragmented
YoY growth 2023-2024(%)	7.32
Regional analysis	North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa
Performing market contribution	North America at 28%
Key countries	US, Canada, China, Japan, and Germany
Competitive landscape	Leading Companies, Market Positioning of Companies, Competitive Strategies, and Industry Risks
Key companies profiled	ASSA ABLOY AB, AURES Group, Bluebird Inc., CipherLab Co. Ltd., Cognex Corp., Datalogic SpA, DENSO Corp., Generalscan Inc., Honeywell International Inc., MilDef Group AB, Newland Digital Technology Co. Ltd., OMRON Corp., Opticon, SATO Holdings Corp., SICK AG, TVS Electronics Ltd., Unitech Electronics Co. Ltd., Zebra Technologies Corp., NCR Voyix Corp, and Brady Corp.
Market dynamics	Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and recovery analysis and future consumer dynamics, Market condition analysis for the forecast period.
Customization purview	If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized.

Download PDF Sample

What are the Key Data Covered in this Market Research Report?

• CAGR of the market report forecast during the forecast period
• Detailed information on factors that will drive the growth of the market  between 2024 and 2028
• Precise estimation of the market  size and its contribution of the market in focus to the parent market
• Accurate predictions about upcoming trends and changes in consumer behavior
• Growth of the market across North America, APAC, Europe, South America, and Middle East and Africa
• Thorough market analysis and report of the market’s competitive landscape and detailed information about companies
• Comprehensive analysis of factors that will challenge the growth of Industry companies

We can help! Our analysts can customize this market research report to meet your requirements. Get in touch