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Barcode Guides

Plain-English explainers for the people who actually print, scan or manage barcodes — UPC vs EAN, what a GTIN is, 1D vs 2D, Code 128 and a field guide to the formats you'll meet in retail, logistics and healthcare.

About this library

Each guide is intentionally narrow — one barcode topic, one clear takeaway — and ends with the matching ReadBarcode tool so you can act on what you just read. Start with What is a GTIN? if you're new to product identifiers, skip to 1D vs 2D barcodes for the capacity story, or jump to Sunrise 2027 explained if you're planning your 2D transition.

Frequently asked

Which barcode format should I use for retail packaging?

For consumer-pack retail, almost always an EAN-13 (UPC-A inside the US and Canada) carrying the product's GTIN. If you're also planning for GS1 Sunrise 2027, pair the 1D barcode with a 2D QR Code carrying a GS1 Digital Link URL. Our UPC vs EAN guide unpacks the trade-off, and the 1D vs 2D guide covers the dual-carrier story.

What's the difference between a GTIN and a barcode?

A GTIN is a number — the Global Trade Item Number that identifies a product. A barcode is a graphical encoding of that number (or other data). The same GTIN can be drawn as UPC-A, EAN-13, ITF-14 or carried inside a 2D Data Matrix; one identity, several wrappers. The What is a GTIN? guide walks through the four GTIN lengths in plain English.

Is GS1 Sunrise 2027 mandatory for my brand?

Not mandatory in the legal sense, but the safe choice today is to start now. GS1 has committed global retail POS to accept 2D barcodes by end of 2027, and most major retailers are already updating their scanners. The 1D vs 2D guide explains what changes at the till and what brands should put on packaging during the dual-carrier interim.

Can I tell a UPC and EAN apart by looking at them?

Yes — count the digits printed under the bars. Twelve digits is a UPC-A; thirteen is an EAN-13. They both encode the same kind of GS1 identifier, and modern scanners read either one, but the digit count tells you which length your master data should store. The UPC vs EAN guide goes deeper.

Do I need different barcodes for different countries?

Usually no. A single GTIN works worldwide — what changes is which 1D symbology the artwork prints (UPC-A in North America, EAN-13 elsewhere) and which retail partner specs apply. The Barcode formats field guide lists the symbology you'll meet in each market and which are interchangeable.