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Homescan, formerly known as ScanTrack, is a service provided by the ACNielsen company where members scan the barcodes on all their purchases with a special barcode reader. The store, price, quantity, and special deals are recorded with the products scanned and the information is transmitted weekly to the company.

This information then allows the company to calculate measures such as market penetration, average weight of purchase and loyalty for its manufacturing clients.

Membership in the program has been through random invitations in the mail, but online registration in the US and Canada is now available. Acceptance into the program is based on household demographics and the current needs of the company.

In return for scanning services, points are awarded which can then be redeemed for prizes.

In 2005 ACNielsen further extended the idea of panel measurement with the introduction of MyScan in the UK. MyScan is a panel measurement service aimed at recording impulse, out of home, consumption and involves the registered panelists scanning their impulse purchases with a key-fob barcode reader.

Chronology of the ACNielsen Business.

1923: Arthur Charles Nielsen, Sr. establishes the ACNielsen Company.

1933: ACNielsen starts measuring and reporting drug store and retail store sales.

1934: ACNielsen starts measuring and reporting food and department store sales.

1935: ACNielsen invents the concept of "market share," defined as the size of the "shopping pie" a manufacturer's or retailer's sales represent.

1939: ACNielsen opened its first international office in the UK.

1963: ACNielsen starts measuring and reporting discount mass merchandiser store sales.

1977: ACNielsen introduced scanning of UPC barcodes to measure retail sales.

1980: National Scantrack Service is introduced, which collects UPC barcode information from retail stores and then sells that data to manufacturers.

1984: The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation acquires ACNielsen.

1987: NPD/Nielsen Inc. introduces National Electronic Household Panel, featuring hand-held scanners used by household members to record all UPC-coded purchases.

1989: ACNielsen integrates attitudes with behaviors for the first-ever look at the "why" behind the "buy."

1990: The first survey is mailed to the Scantrack Shoppers Panel (now known as the Homescan Consumer Panel).

1992: Expansion of the ACNielsen's Homescan Consumer Panel to 40,000 households is announced.

1993: ACNielsen starts measuring and reporting warehouse club sales.

1994: ACNielsen participates in joint marketing ventures in Asia, Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East.

1995: ACNielsen now operates household consumer panels in 15 countries, including Canada, South Africa and France, and captures purchase information from more than 100,000 households worldwide.

1996: The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation splits into three operating units; ACNielsen becomes an independent company and its stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

1997: ACNielsen's Homescan Consumer Panel expands to 52,000 households.

1998: ACNielsen becomes the largest market research firm in the United States!

2002: ACNielsen became part of VNU, a world leader in marketing information, media measurement and information, business media and directories.

2002: ACNielsen's Homescan Consumer Panel expands to 61,500 households!

2003: ACNielsen introduces online survey opportunities to their consumer panel members.

2004: ACNielsen introduces Homescan Online, the first Internet measurement service that creates a direct link between off-line purchase behavior and online surfing activity.

2004: ACNielsen's Homescan Consumer Panel expands by 50%

• Official Website
• Homescan Australia