EAN-13 barcode
The 13-digit retail barcode scanned at point of sale everywhere outside North America, and accepted inside it.
Also known as: EAN, GTIN-13, European Article Number, International Article Number, JAN-13
What is EAN-13?
EAN-13 is the 13-digit linear barcode that carries a GTIN-13 and identifies one retail item at point of sale. It is the global default: registers in Europe, Asia, Australia, and Latin America expect it, US and Canadian registers have scanned it since 2005, and Amazon accepts it as the product GTIN in every marketplace. A UPC-A is the same number with a leading zero. The symbol is packaging artwork; the number lives in the catalog.
Encodes: A GTIN-13: twelve digits of identity plus one check digit. Numeric only.
How EAN-13 is structured
An EAN-13 reads as a GS1 Company Prefix, an item reference, and a check digit. The first three digits show which GS1 member organization issued the prefix, which is often misread as the country the product was made in. It is not.
| Part | Length | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| GS1 prefix | 3 digits | Identifies the GS1 member organization that licensed the company prefix: 400 to 440 for GS1 Germany, 500 to 509 for GS1 UK, 000 to 139 for GS1 US. Not a country of origin. |
| Company prefix + item reference | 9 digits | The company prefix is licensed from GS1 at a length that suits the catalog size; the brand assigns the remaining digits to one variant each. |
| Check digit | 1 digit | GS1 mod 10 across the first twelve digits. |
Specifications
- Data
- 13 numeric digits (GTIN-13)
- Check digit
- GS1 mod 10, the 13th digit
- Nominal size (100%)
- 37.29 mm × 25.93 mm (1.469″ × 1.020″)
- Magnification range
- 80% to 200% of nominal
- X-dimension
- 0.330 mm at 100% (0.264 mm to 0.660 mm)
- Bar height
- 22.85 mm at 100%; do not truncate for POS scanning
- Quiet zones
- 11X on the left, 7X on the right
- Symbol structure
- Left guard, six digits, center guard, six digits, right guard: 95 modules; the 13th digit is carried in the parity of the left half
- Scanning
- Omnidirectional at point of sale; 2- or 5-digit add-ons for periodicals and books
Dimensions are GS1 General Specifications targets. Confirm against the retailer’s current routing guide before a print run.
Where it is used
- Consumer units at retail point of sale worldwide
- The product GTIN on Amazon, eBay, and Google Shopping listings in every region
- The barcode field on Shopify and other storefront variants
- Item-level identification in retailer item setup and EDI catalogs, in North America as well as abroad
Made once, by the designer, from a number the catalog owns
The GTIN comes from your GS1 company prefix and sits on the product record. The symbol is generated at the right magnification, placed in the packaging file as vector art, and never rescaled in layout. Brands that sell in North America and abroad pick one GTIN per variant and render it as EAN-13 everywhere; the US register reads it fine.
Mistakes that cost money
Reading the prefix as country of origin
The first three digits say which GS1 office licensed the number. A 400 prefix on a product made in Vietnam is normal.
Two GTINs for one item
Registering a UPC-A for the US and a separate EAN-13 for Europe creates two identities for one variant and splits sales history everywhere. One GTIN, rendered as EAN-13, is enough.
Text in the right quiet zone
The right margin is only 7X. A price or weight set too close stops the scanner from finding the edge.
Truncating the bars
Short bars kill the omnidirectional read at the register. Drop to 80% magnification before cutting height.
Rescaling in the layout app
Set magnification when generating the symbol, then place at 100%.
Legacy 12-digit item-setup fields
A few older US retailer forms still ask for a 12-digit UPC. Supply the GTIN-13 with the leading zero removed only if it starts with zero; otherwise ask for the 14-digit field.
How Endless handles EAN-13
Endless keeps one GTIN per variant on the canonical product record and renders it in whichever form a channel asks for, so a 13-digit EAN on the pack, a 12-digit field on a US item-setup form, and a 14-digit field in an EDI 832 all resolve to the same product.
Frequently asked questions
Can a US retailer scan an EAN-13?
Yes. GS1’s 2005 Sunrise required North American point-of-sale systems to read 13-digit codes, and every current register does. Some legacy item-setup forms still have 12-digit fields, which is a data-entry problem rather than a scanning one.
Do I need an EAN to sell on Amazon Europe?
You need a GTIN registered to your brand. EAN-13 is the norm in Europe, but Amazon accepts a UPC-A equally, since it is the same GTIN with a leading zero. What it checks is that the prefix belongs to you in the GS1 registry.
How do I convert a UPC to an EAN?
Put a zero in front. UPC-A 614141 12345 2 is EAN-13 0 614141 123452. The check digit does not change because the leading zero contributes nothing to the sum.
What is JAN-13?
The Japanese name for EAN-13. Same symbol, same rules, with GS1 Japan prefixes 450 to 459 and 490 to 499.
Related symbologies
Definitions in the glossary
- GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)→
A globally unique product identifier used across trading partners and marketplaces.
- UPC (Universal Product Code)→
The 12-digit barcode standard used to identify retail products at point of sale.
Browse the full barcode symbology guide.
See it on your channels.
Spend your time on the business, not the busywork. Book a demo and watch Endless run your operations across every channel you sell on.
Get a Demo