EAN vs UPC

If you are selling a product in a retail store or on platforms like Amazon, you will need a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number). The two most common ways to represent a GTIN as a barcode are UPC and EAN. Here is how they differ.

UPC (Universal Product Code)

The UPC-A barcode is the standard retail barcode used in the United States and Canada.

• Length: 12 digits.
• Structure: A 1-digit system character, a 5-digit manufacturer code, a 5-digit product code, and a 1-digit check digit.

EAN (European Article Number)

The EAN-13 barcode is the standard retail barcode used globally (outside of North America).

• Length: 13 digits.
• Structure: A 2-to-3 digit country code, a manufacturer code, a product code, and a check digit.

The Secret: They Are Almost the Same

Technically, a 12-digit UPC is just a 13-digit EAN that starts with a hidden zero.

Modern point-of-sale systems worldwide are required by GS1 (the global barcode standards organization) to read both 13-digit EANs and 12-digit UPCs. If a scanner reads a 12-digit UPC, many systems automatically prepend a '0' to align it with the 13-digit EAN database format.

Which One Do You Need?

• Selling mostly in the US/Canada? A UPC-A is the standard choice.
• Selling internationally? An EAN-13 is generally preferred.

Note: If you are selling commercial products, you must purchase official GS1 barcodes to ensure your numbers are unique globally. You cannot simply generate random UPC/EAN numbers for products destined for major retailers.