UPC-E barcode
The zero-suppressed form of a UPC-A, six data digits wide, for packs too small for the full symbol.
Also known as: zero-suppressed UPC, UPC-A compressed, GTIN-12 (compressed)
What is UPC-E?
UPC-E is a compressed rendering of a UPC-A whose company prefix and item reference contain a run of zeros, squeezing twelve digits into a symbol that shows eight and encodes six. The scanner expands it back to the full GTIN-12, so the retailer’s item file never sees the short form. Only UPC-A numbers with number system 0 or 1 and the right zero pattern can be compressed, which is why GS1 US assigns compressible prefixes on request.
Encodes: A GTIN-12 with number system 0 or 1, expressed as six data digits plus the number system and the original check digit.
How UPC-E is structured
Compression works by dropping zeros the scanner can put back. Which zeros, and how many, depends on the shape of the company prefix and item reference, and the last of the six digits tells the scanner which rule was used.
| Part | Length | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Prefix ending in 000, 100, or 200 | Item reference 00000 to 00999 | Six digits = first two prefix digits, last three item digits, then 0, 1, or 2 for the prefix’s third digit. |
| Prefix ending in 00 | Item reference 00000 to 00099 | Six digits = first three prefix digits, last two item digits, then 3. |
| Prefix ending in 0 | Item reference 00000 to 00009 | Six digits = first four prefix digits, last item digit, then 4. |
| Prefix not ending in 0 | Item reference 00005 to 00009 | Six digits = all five prefix digits, then the item digit 5 to 9. |
Specifications
- Data
- 8 digits shown: number system, 6 compressed digits, UPC-A check digit
- Check digit
- The UPC-A check digit, carried in the parity pattern of the six data digits rather than as bars
- Nominal size (100%)
- 22.11 mm × 25.93 mm
- Magnification range
- 80% to 200% of nominal
- X-dimension
- 0.330 mm at 100%
- Quiet zones
- 9X on the left, 7X on the right
- Symbol structure
- Left guard, six digits, special right guard: 51 modules
- Eligibility
- UPC-A with number system 0 or 1 and a company prefix or item reference that ends in zeros
Dimensions are GS1 General Specifications targets. Confirm against the retailer’s current routing guide before a print run.
Where it is used
- Small consumer units in North America: gum, cosmetics, small hardware, single-serve packs
- Any register that scans UPC-A, which expands UPC-E automatically
- Retailer item files, which store the expanded GTIN-12
A rendering choice made at the artwork stage
UPC-E is not a different number. The catalog holds the twelve-digit GTIN-12; the designer renders it compressed when the pack will not fit a UPC-A at 80%. Whether it can be compressed at all depends on how the GS1 prefix was assigned, so brands planning small formats ask GS1 US for a compressible prefix up front.
Retailers whose routing guides call for it
Each retailer page covers the transaction sets, labeling rules, and reported chargebacks behind the requirement.
Mistakes that cost money
Assuming any UPC-A can be compressed
Only number system 0 or 1 with the right zero pattern qualifies. Most prefixes cannot; check before promising a small pack.
Storing the eight-digit form in the item file
Systems hold the expanded GTIN-12. Entering the short form creates a phantom item nothing else matches.
Confusing UPC-E with EAN-8
EAN-8 is a separate eight-digit GTIN issued by GS1. UPC-E is the same GTIN-12 drawn small.
Truncating the bars
The symbol is already narrow; keep the full 25.93 mm height so the register can read it omnidirectionally.
How Endless handles UPC-E
Endless stores the expanded GTIN-12 on the product record, so a UPC-E scanned at a register or a receiving dock matches the same variant as the UPC-A on the case and the GTIN-14 in the ASN.
Frequently asked questions
Is UPC-E a different barcode number from UPC-A?
No. It is the same twelve-digit GTIN with the zeros suppressed. The scanner expands it, and every system downstream sees the UPC-A.
How do I get a UPC that can be compressed?
Ask GS1 US for a company prefix that ends in zeros when you license it, and keep item references in the low range the compression rules require. Existing prefixes that do not fit the pattern cannot be compressed.
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.
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