Product traceability to ensure quality, safety, and sustainability of goods has become a worldwide societal concern. Developments in bar code technology have created extended opportunities to meet product traceability requirements. This article presents advantages and disadvantages to use bar code technology for product traceability linked to information management principles for unique identification, interoperability, and communication of traceability information. Challenges in bar code technology for product traceability include the development of cell phone applications and bar code symbology that ensure product readability, provide the ontology for traceability information recorded on the bar code, and bar codes that prevent falsification.