UPC-A and EAN-13 are the same barcode system with a different number of digits. A UPC-A holds 12 digits and is used mainly in the US and Canada; an EAN-13 holds 13 and is used everywhere else. Every modern retail scanner reads both, so print the one that matches the number GS1 gave you.
The differences at a glance
| UPC-A | EAN-13 | |
|---|---|---|
| Digits | 12 | 13 |
| Where it’s issued | GS1 US and GS1 Canada | Every other GS1 office |
| First digits | Company prefix | Country or GS1 prefix, then company |
| Read in shops worldwide | Yes | Yes |
| Standard width at 100% | About 37 mm with margins | About 37 mm with margins |
| Make one | UPC-A generator | EAN-13 generator |
Why there are two
UPC came first, in the US in the 1970s. Europe then extended it to 13 digits so other countries could have their own prefixes: that became EAN. A UPC is really an EAN-13 that starts with 0, which is why scanners read UPCs as 13 digits and why the two are fully compatible.
The small versions
- UPC-E squeezes certain UPC-A numbers (those with runs of zeros) into 6 digits for small packages. Only some numbers can be compressed.
- EAN-8 is a separate 8-digit number that GS1 issues on request for packs too small for an EAN-13.
Which should I print?
Print the one that matches your number. If GS1 US or GS1 Canada gave you a 12-digit number, print a UPC-A. If your GS1 office gave you 13 digits, print an EAN-13. If a retailer asks for a 12-digit UPC and you have a 13-digit EAN starting with 0, drop the 0.
For books, the barcode is always an EAN-13 built from the ISBN; see the ISBN barcode generator.