Gavin Jancke, the Microsoft Research engineering director who developed the so-called High Capacity Color Barcode (HCCB), said the aim was not to replace the current barcode system, called UPC.

"It's more of a 'partner' barcode," he said. "The UPC barcodes will always be there. Ours is more of a niche barcode where you want to put a lot of information in a small space."

The code is made up of up to eight-different coloured triangles which are aligned left to right with each shape placed from point to base or vice versa.

That combination of colours and orientation of the triangles creates distinct patterns which can be read by piece of software which deciphers the data.

Information such as a website address or e-mail address could be stored inside the barcode and once scanned by a mobile phone, the consumer could be taken to a promotional page, a website offering downloads or extra content.

Japanese firm Fujitsu recently showed off applications of its steganography technology, which embeds data in plain sight by taking advantage of the eye's inability to see the colour yellow properly.

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