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How to create an EAN barcode

By BarcodeMarket · Published · Last updated

Short answer

To create an EAN barcode you need a 13-digit number built on a GS1 company prefix, either through GS1 membership or as a GS1-originated code from a reseller. The 13th digit is a check digit calculated from the first 12. Barcode software or a barcode font then turns the number into a scannable image.

Step by step

  1. 01

    Get a GS1-issued number

    Every EAN-13 is built on a GS1 company prefix. You can join GS1 and be allocated your own prefix, or buy individual GS1-originated codes from a reseller such as BarcodeMarket, where 10 codes cost £6.99.

  2. 02

    Check the 13th digit

    The last digit is a check digit. Multiply the first 12 digits alternately by 1 and 3, add the results, and subtract the total from the next equal or higher multiple of ten. For 501234567890 the total is 90, so the check digit is 0 and the full code is 5012345678900.

  3. 03

    Render the number as a barcode image

    Barcode software or a barcode font turns the 13 digits into bars and spaces. Every BarcodeMarket order includes a PNG image of each code, ready to print or upload.

  4. 04

    Use one code per product

    Print the barcode on the product packaging or label, and enter the same 13 digits as the product ID when you list on Amazon or eBay. Give each product, and each size or colour of it, its own code.

How to Create an EAN Barcode

What’s an EAN (European Article Number)?

An EAN barcode number is a unique 13-digit number that identifies a product. You could easily find them on the packaging of an item, or when you are purchasing online on an ecommerce website.

The EAN barcode is a worldwide standard, managed by GS1, that was first introduced to ease the process of finding products across countries and languages. The barcode is used by suppliers and manufacturers to find products that are for sale or distribution.

How to Create an EAN Barcode

An EAN-13 barcode is used to identify retail products and is usually placed on the label of a product. It encodes 13 digits in three parts: a GS1 company prefix allocated by GS1 to a company, an item reference that identifies the product, and a final check digit. The prefix length varies, so there is no fixed split between the first two parts. GS1 publishes the check digit calculation used for the last digit.

Creating an EAN barcode label in Microsoft Word is simple. The first step is, you need to open up Microsoft Word and create a document. Next, type the data for your label starting with the name of your company. The following line should have all of the relative contact information such as phone number, address, and website URL. After that, enter in the barcode number that will go beneath your barcode

Why do you need a GS1 unique barcode?

A GS1 barcode number, or GTIN, is 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits long depending on the format. It allows businesses to identify products within their inventory. It’s the most widely used system to identify items in the world and it is a necessity for global commerce.

GS1 unique barcodes are vital because they assist in identifying products and provide data about them to customers. They also make it more simple for companies to keep track of order, shipments and stock levels.

What is a Barcode Scanner and Why Do You Need One?

A barcode scanner is a little machine that is used to scan barcodes and identify the digits and letters that are embedded in them. This machine can be useful for multiple types of scanning, but it’s mainly used for scanning products when you are out shopping.

A barcode scanner reads the pattern of dark bars and light spaces, by laser or camera, and decodes their widths back into the digits of the code. If you are looking to buy EAN barcodes you can do that right here at BarcodeMarket.com

References

Official documentation on the identifiers this guide covers.

  1. GS1. Check digit calculator. https://www.gs1.org/services/check-digit-calculator
  2. GS1. EAN/UPC barcodes. https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes/ean-upc
  3. GS1. GS1 General Specifications. https://www.gs1.org/standards/barcodes-epcrfid-id-keys/gs1-general-specifications

About the publisher: BarcodeMarket is an online seller of GS1-originated EAN and UPC barcodes for Amazon, eBay and retail sellers in the UK and worldwide, trading since 2022.

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