Abstract: A stand-alone shopping list generator comprises a UPC scanner, a product database, a system controller, and a printer. The UPC scanner reads product identification codes encoded on UPC labels from exhausted products and sends the product identification codes to a system controller. The system controller retrieves product descriptions associated with the product identification codes from the product database. Product descriptions for scanned products are printed forming a shopping list. In a similar embodiment of the invention, an RFID reader replaces the UPC scanner, reading the product identification codes from products labeled with RFID tags. In another embodiment, a link delivers the shopping list to a personal digital assistant (PDA). In this embodiment, the shopping list is accumulated in non-volatile memory within the shopping list generator for later transfer to the PDA.