To put a barcode on a product you sell in shops, you need a number from GS1, the not-for-profit organisation that runs the UPC and EAN system. You license a company prefix from the GS1 office in your country, give each product a number from it (a GTIN), and then make the barcode from that number. Making the barcode is the easy part, and you can do it free in our barcode generator.
Step 1: Decide whether you need a GS1 number
You need a GS1 number (a GTIN, printed as a UPC or EAN barcode) if you sell:
- in shops and supermarkets, which scan products at the till;
- through large online retailers and marketplaces, including Amazon’s product catalogue;
- through distributors and wholesalers, who track stock by GTIN.
You don’t need one for barcodes only you will scan: stock labels, asset tags, tickets or file labels. Use Code 128 with any text you choose.
Step 2: Get your numbers from GS1
Go to the GS1 office for the country where your business is based (GS1 US, GS1 Canada, GS1 UK and so on). You can usually choose between:
- Single GTINs: one number at a time, suited to a business with a handful of products.
- A company prefix: a block of numbers (10, 100, 1,000 or more) with your company’s prefix at the start, plus a yearly fee.
Prices and options change and differ by country, so check your GS1 office’s site. GS1 also asks for product details so the registry shows your company as the brand owner.
Step 3: Give each product its number
Every product variant gets its own GTIN: each size, colour, flavour and pack count. Keep a list (a spreadsheet works) of which number belongs to which product, and never reuse a number for a different product.
GS1’s tools show the full 12- or 13-digit number, check digit included. If you only have the first digits, our generator adds the check digit for you.
Step 4: Make the barcode
- US and Canada: print a UPC-A. Shops everywhere scan it.
- Everywhere else: print an EAN-13.
- Very small packs: EAN-8 or UPC-E, if GS1 gave you a number that fits.
- Outer cartons: an ITF-14 built from the same GTIN.
- Books: an ISBN from your ISBN agency, not GS1.
Many products? Paste the list into the bulk barcode generator and download them all at once.
Step 5: Print it at the right size
Retail barcodes have a standard size, about 37 mm wide at 100%, and can be scaled from 80% to 200%. Keep dark bars on a light background and leave the margins clear. The barcode size guide covers the details.