In this configuration, items (such as fruit or other produce) that need to be weighed are placed on the first housing portion 4A of the scanner 1 where they are weighed by the weigh-scale 22 disposed beneath the scanner 1. [0390] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 1C, the bioptical holographic laser scanner can be installed above a conveyor belt structure as part of a manually-assisted parcel sorting