ITF-14 barcode
The 14-digit case barcode printed on shipping cartons, built to survive corrugated board.
Also known as: GTIN-14 barcode, SCC-14, Shipping Container Code, Interleaved 2 of 5 (GS1)
What is ITF-14?
ITF-14 is the 14-digit Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode that carries a GTIN-14 and identifies a standard trade case, the box of consumer units a retailer orders and a distribution center receives. It tolerates the print quality of corrugated board, which is why it is the case-level symbol in nearly every routing guide. It identifies what the case is, never which case it is.
Encodes: A GTIN-14: an indicator digit, the company prefix and item reference, and a check digit. Numeric only, always an even count of digits.
How ITF-14 is structured
A GTIN-14 wraps the brand’s prefix and item reference in an indicator digit that says which level of packaging the number describes. The item reference is usually the same one used on the consumer unit inside, with the indicator digit separating a case from an inner pack from a pallet.
| Part | Length | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Indicator digit | 1 digit | 1 through 8 identify packaging levels the brand defines (a case of 6 might be 1, a case of 12 might be 2). 9 marks a variable-measure trade item. 0 means the GTIN-14 is a zero-padded GTIN-12 or GTIN-13. |
| GS1 Company Prefix + item reference | 12 digits | The same prefix as the consumer unit. The item reference may match the unit inside or be newly assigned; either is valid as long as the pair is unique. |
| Check digit | 1 digit | GS1 mod 10 across the first thirteen digits. |
Specifications
- Data
- 14 numeric digits (GTIN-14)
- Check digit
- GS1 mod 10, the 14th digit
- Nominal size (100%)
- 142.75 mm × 32.00 mm including bearer bars
- Magnification range
- 50% to 100% for general distribution scanning
- X-dimension
- 0.495 mm to 1.016 mm
- Wide-to-narrow ratio
- 2.5 : 1
- Bar height
- 32 mm minimum for general distribution
- Bearer bars
- Required. All four sides when printed directly on corrugate; top and bottom at minimum on labels
- Quiet zones
- 10X on the left and right
- Print method
- Flexo plates direct on corrugate, or pre-printed labels
Dimensions are GS1 General Specifications targets. Confirm against the retailer’s current routing guide before a print run.
Where it is used
- Standard trade cases that a retailer orders and receives as a unit
- Inner packs and multi-packs that are ordered but not sold at POS
- Case-level identification in retailer item setup and the 856 ASN item detail
- Direct print on corrugated master cartons by the box plant
Static per case configuration, printed by the box plant
A case GTIN is allocated once per pack configuration and lives in the catalog’s pack hierarchy: each, inner, case, pallet, with a quantity at every level. The symbol goes to the corrugate supplier as vector art and is printed on the plate run. Because the number does not change per shipment, it is artwork, not a label the warehouse prints. The moment a case count changes, the GTIN must change with it.
Mistakes that cost money
Missing or undersized bearer bars
ITF is vulnerable to partial reads where a scan path clips the corner of the symbol. Bearer bars stop the scanner from decoding a short read as a valid shorter code.
Printing the retail UPC on the case
A DC scanner that reads a consumer-unit GTIN on a carton receives one unit instead of a case. Cases need their own GTIN-14.
Changing the case count without changing the GTIN
The retailer’s item file still says 12 per case. The 856 says 12, the pallet holds 6, and the shortage shows up as a chargeback.
Going below 50% magnification on corrugate
Flexo ink spread on brown board closes narrow bars. Small symbols that scan fine on a proof fail on the dock.
Using ITF-14 when the retailer wants lot or expiry
ITF-14 carries only the GTIN. Perishables, pharma, and FSMA 204 lots need a GS1-128 with (01), (10), and (17) on the case.
Hand-calculated check digits
A typo in digit fourteen produces a symbol that will not decode, and it is usually discovered after ten thousand cartons have been printed.
How Endless handles ITF-14
Endless stores the complete pack hierarchy on each product, with a GTIN and quantity at every level, and uses the case GTIN consistently across item setup, purchase order lines, and the 856 pack detail. When a case configuration changes in the catalog, agents flag every open PO and retailer item file that still carries the old count.
Frequently asked questions
Should a case carry an ITF-14 or a GS1-128?
ITF-14 when the case only needs to identify what it is, and the retailer accepts direct print on corrugate. GS1-128 when the case must also carry a lot number, expiry date, or count, which grocery, pharma, and any FSMA 204 program require. Many routing guides accept either for the case GTIN and separately require a GS1-128 shipping label with an SSCC on every carton.
Can I scale down the retail UPC and use it on the case?
No. The case is a different trade item with a different quantity, so it needs its own GTIN-14, and a UPC-A symbol is not designed for corrugated print or conveyor scanning distances.
Does a mixed case need a new GTIN?
Yes. A case containing an assortment is its own trade item, identified by a new GTIN-14 with its own item reference. The indicator digit alone cannot describe a mix.
Why does GS1 recommend an even number of digits?
Interleaved 2 of 5 encodes digits in pairs, one in the bars and one in the spaces. A GTIN-14 is fourteen digits, so it packs cleanly into seven pairs with no padding.
Related symbologies
- UPC-A→
The 12-digit retail barcode scanned at point of sale across North America.
- GS1-128→
The Code 128 subset that carries GS1 Application Identifiers, the barcode on every carton and pallet shipping label.
- SSCC-18→
The 18-digit serial number that identifies one specific carton or pallet and ties it to the ASN.
Definitions in the glossary
- Advance Ship Notice (EDI 856 / ASN)→
An electronic packing list sent to the buyer before a shipment arrives.
- 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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