EAN-8 barcode
The eight-digit retail barcode GS1 issues for packages too small to carry an EAN-13.
Also known as: GTIN-8, short EAN
What is EAN-8?
EAN-8 is the eight-digit linear barcode that carries a GTIN-8, a short identifier GS1 allocates one at a time for consumer units too small to fit an EAN-13 at 80% magnification. It is not a compressed EAN-13 and it is not derived from your company prefix; each GTIN-8 is a separate allocation, and supply is limited, so GS1 issues them only when the packaging test is met.
Encodes: A GTIN-8: seven digits of identity plus one check digit. Numeric only.
How EAN-8 is structured
A GTIN-8 has no company prefix inside it. GS1 assigns the whole number, which is why a brand cannot mint its own and why the pool is scarce.
| Part | Length | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| GS1 prefix | 3 digits | The issuing GS1 member organization. |
| Item reference | 4 digits | Assigned by GS1 to the specific item at allocation. |
| Check digit | 1 digit | GS1 mod 10 across the first seven digits. |
Specifications
- Data
- 8 numeric digits (GTIN-8)
- Check digit
- GS1 mod 10, the 8th digit
- Nominal size (100%)
- 26.73 mm × 21.31 mm
- Magnification range
- 80% to 200% of nominal
- X-dimension
- 0.330 mm at 100%
- Quiet zones
- 7X on the left and right
- Symbol structure
- Left guard, four digits, center guard, four digits, right guard: 67 modules
- Add-ons
- Not permitted
- Allocation
- Issued individually by the GS1 member organization on request, not taken from a company prefix
Dimensions are GS1 General Specifications targets. Confirm against the retailer’s current routing guide before a print run.
Where it is used
- Very small consumer units: cosmetics, confectionery, small hardware, single-serve items
- Point of sale anywhere an EAN-13 is scanned
- Item setup with retailers, stored as a GTIN-8 or zero-padded to 14 digits
Requested from GS1, then set into the pack once
GS1 issues a GTIN-8 only after you show the EAN-13 will not fit, typically when the printable area is under about 40 square centimetres or the pack is a cylinder too narrow for the wider symbol. Once allocated it behaves like any GTIN: it lives on the product record and is rendered once into the artwork at 80% or larger.
Mistakes that cost money
Requesting an EAN-8 for convenience
GS1 will decline if an EAN-13 fits. Try 80% magnification and a truncated layout first; EAN-8 is for packs where that fails.
Confusing it with UPC-E
UPC-E is a zero-suppressed UPC-A and expands back to twelve digits. EAN-8 is a distinct eight-digit GTIN with no longer form.
Fourteen-digit padding surprises
Padded to GTIN-14, an EAN-8 gains six leading zeros. Systems that validate on prefix length sometimes reject it; test item setup early.
Adding a price or issue add-on
EAN-8 does not support add-ons. Periodicals and books need EAN-13.
How Endless handles EAN-8
Endless stores a GTIN-8 on the product record like any other GTIN and pads it correctly for 12-, 13-, and 14-digit channel fields, so small-format variants list and ship without manual re-entry.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make my own EAN-8 from my company prefix?
No. GTIN-8s are allocated individually by your GS1 member organization and do not contain your company prefix. Apply through GS1 with the packaging dimensions.
When is a package small enough for an EAN-8?
When an EAN-13 at 80% magnification, including quiet zones, will not fit the largest printable face, or the pack is so curved the wider symbol would distort. GS1 applies that test at allocation.
Related symbologies
Definitions in the glossary
- GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)→
A globally unique product identifier used across trading partners and marketplaces.
Browse the full barcode symbology guide.
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