How EAN-13 and UPC-A Product Barcodes Are Structured

The number printed under a barcode is not random. It follows a structure that you can read.

Two common formats

• UPC-A has 12 digits and is common in North America.
• EAN-13 has 13 digits and is used in most of the world.

A UPC-A code can be treated as an EAN-13 with a leading zero, so systems that read one can read the other.

The parts of an EAN-13

Part	Meaning
First digits (prefix)	assigned by the GS1 organisation, related to where the number was issued
Company section	identifies the brand owner
Item section	identifies the product
Last digit	the check digit

A note on the prefix

The prefix shows where a company's barcode number was registered, not necessarily where the product was made. A product made in one country can carry another country's prefix.

What is in the bars

The bars encode only the digits. There is no price, name or description inside. When a scanner reads the number, a database supplies the details.

Left and right halves

An EAN-13 is divided into a left half and a right half, separated by a centre guard pattern. The two halves use different encodings, which lets a scanner read the code even if it is upside down.

Using this as a shopper

• The digits printed below the bars are a backup if the bars will not scan.
• A scanned number can be searched to find a product's information.
• Damaged codes can often be typed in by hand.

Tips

1. Scan in good light.
2. Hold steady until the digits are read.
3. Check the digits if a scan seems wrong.

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