EAN-13 Barcode Generator for Retail Products

How an EAN-13 number is structured

EAN-13 is the barcode used on consumer products sold in shops in most of the world. It encodes a 13-digit GTIN-13. The digits are not random: they are split into a GS1 prefix, your company number, an item reference and a final check digit that protects against misreads and typing errors.

The length of the company number depends on how many products your GS1 licence covers. A company that needs 10 product numbers gets a longer prefix than one that needs 10,000, which leaves fewer digits for the item reference.

How the check digit is calculated

Starting from the left, multiply the digits in odd positions by 1 and the digits in even positions by 3, then add everything together. The check digit is the number you need to add to reach the next multiple of 10. For 590123412345 the weighted sum is 83, so the check digit is 7 and the full number is 5901234123457.

You do not need to do this by hand. Enter 12 digits and PureTools appends the correct check digit automatically. If you enter 13 digits with a wrong final digit, the generator warns you before you print anything.

Printing EAN-13 so it scans at the till

• The nominal size is 37.29 mm wide by 25.93 mm tall. GS1 allows scaling from 80 to 200 percent of that size.
• Do not shorten the bar height (truncation). Many retailers reject truncated barcodes.
• Leave the light margins clear: about 11 modules on the left and 7 on the right.
• Print black or dark blue bars on a white or light background. Avoid red, orange and yellow bars.
• Place the barcode on a flat area of the pack, away from seams, folds and curved edges.