Abstract: A method and also an apparatus for reading a code provided on a code carrier and consisting of bright and dark fields is described, in which the code (14) is sensed by a laser beam, and the light which is reflected backwardly is evaluated in a light receiver arrangement. At least a part of the light which is differentially reflected at the scanned code fields and which would normally no longer return to the light receiver arrangement is returned via at least one preferably diffusely scattering reflective or retro-reflective surface into the scanned region, whereby this light is again reflected in different manner by the code fields, with the result that the contrast detected by the light receiver arrangement is significantly increased in dependence on the code fields.