EXPERT on Instagram: "Despite popular belief, barcode scanners do not actually read the black bars. They detect the white spaces between the black lines, which reflect more light back to the scanner. The pattern of these white gaps is what gets converted into numbers and product information. The black bars simply absorb light and act as separators, while the reflected light from the white areas carries the real data that allows scanners to identify items instantly. Sources: GS1 Global barcode st