Tobias Reed Production Knowledge Lead at 4OVER4.COM
Tobias is our voice for cutting, binding and large format, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.
Question
What barcode format should I use for retail products?
Answer
The right barcode format depends on where your product sells. Both common retail formats are linear barcodes that encode a unique product identifier for point-of-sale scanning, and you will need a GS1 company prefix before you can generate valid codes.
| Format | Use case |
|---|---|
| UPC-A | Standard for retail products sold in the United States and Canada |
| EAN-13 | Used for products sold internationally |
- Register for a GS1 company prefix first, then assign each product its own number.
- Keep the printed size within the recommended range so scanners read it reliably.
- The same code prints cleanly on labels, packaging, and hang tags.
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