A scanning apparatus and an optical reading apparatus according to the invention is featured in obtaining reading result corresponding to a plurality of bar code symbols by processing, as predetermined, demodulated data corresponding to signal light from the bar code labels and optically readable symbols. Such a scanning apparatus extracts sets of consecutive data, which consecutively indicate all bar code symbols constituting the bar code symbols, from the demodulated data, and further chooses only sets of consecutive data that are different from each other, whereby reading data corresponding to a plurality of bar code symbols are collectively obtained. Furthermore, the optical reading apparatus collectively obtains the reading result corresponding to a plurality of symbols by extracting data that meets predetermined conditions and are different from each other, from the data obtained by demodulation.