Which invention, first implemented in retail in 1974, used parallel black bars to encode product information and revolutionized checkout and inventory management worldwide?

The landscape of retail has been transformed by technological innovations throughout history. One particular technology revolutionized inventory management and point-of-sale operations across the global retail industry, creating a standardized system that we now take for granted. This invention bridged the gap between physical products and digital data, fundamentally changing how retailers track merchandise and process sales. Test your knowledge about this game-changing retail technology!

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RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) tags
UPC (Universal Product Code) barcode system
Electronic cash registers with magnetic card readers
Touchscreen POS (Point of Sale) terminals