EAN and UCC codes, or how to identify your products precisely

Every retailer is faced with the question of EANs or UCCs. More than just a barcode for physical points of sale, they are often the key to a marketplace.

However, these famous codes often appear obscure to the uninitiated, despite the fact that their use offers a number of advantages for gaining visibility and increasing sales.

Let's take a look at EAN 8, EAN 13 and EAN 128. What are their definitions? Are they mandatory? How can they be obtained?

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What is an EAN barcode?

EAN/UCC: definition

EANs (European Article Numbering), or UCCs, are barcodes for items and logistics units used in the retail and industrial sectors. Their purpose? Identify them individually, using coding standards.

For example, thanks to these unique codes combined with a sequence of black and white bars, each item or logistical unit can be easily scanned by a barcode reader or handheld scanner. This saves valuable time for companies and consumers alike (especially at the checkout).

EAN/UCC are also used in the e-commerce sector, serving :

• both for the company, to manage its online catalog or increase its visibility ;
• and for the consumer, to find the item they want more easily online.

☝️ This coding system is based on precise standards defined by GS1, formerly EAN International.

The different types of EAN/UCC barcode

There are different types of item code, all grouped under a single component: the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number). Examples include the UCP (Universal Product Code) used in North America, or the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) specific to the publishing world.

EAN codes come in 3 different forms:

EAN 8 codes

Made up of 8 digits, they are designed for small products. They require less space to transcribe into barcodes.

EAN 13 codes

Composed of 13 digits, they are the most widely used standard.

EAN 128 or GS1-128 codes

These are used to label logistics units, i.e. goods to be shipped. In this case, pallets are identified by a Serial Shipping Container Code ( SSCC ), translated into a GS1-128 barcode.

How to read an EAN code?

An EAN is constructed in a precise way. So how do you interpret the numbers on a barcode?

An EAN 13 can be read as follows:

• The first 2 or 3 digits indicate the company's country, i.e. the country in which its head office is located. For example, for France, the barcode begins with a number between 300 and 379. For Germany, between 400 and 440, etc.
  
  
• The next 4 or 5 digits correspond to the company's membership number in the EAN system.
  
  
• The next 4 or 5 digits uniquely identify products within the company.
  
  
• The last digit is a control key. This is defined by the preceding digits, and its role is to approve the validity of the barcode.

The 8-digit EAN code follows the same logic:

• First 2 or 3 digits: company country,
• Next 2 or 3 digits: company membership number,
• next 2 or 3 digits: unique product identification numbers,
• last digit: control key.

Is the EAN code compulsory?

Strictly speaking, the use of an EAN is not mandatory.

However, a retailer who doesn't use a GTIN to identify his products quickly finds himself limited in many situations... and risks missing out on sales opportunities.

For example, Amazon requires barcodes for items shipped from its site (even if codes other than the EAN are accepted, such as those generated by the marketplace itself).

This obligation is justified in particular by the fact of being able to link the same product to several sellers. In the same vein, let's mention Google Shopping. Indeed, since 2016, a GTIN code is mandatory in order to sell via the platform.

In short, having EAN/UCC codes for your merchandise includes a number of advantages:

• Increased online visibility. Not only is the EAN indispensable for trading via the major marketplaces, but by ensuring precise identification of the product sold, the latter gains visibility in Google search results.
  
  
• Easier management of your product catalog. Thanks to the EAN/UCC code, it becomes easier to gather information on items already present in the marketplace, in order to create a more complete and attractive product sheet.
  
  
• Optimize internal stock and inventory management. GTINs help to ensure traceability throughout the product lifecycle, saving companies time and money.

💡 Good to know: the primary objective of an EAN/UCC is to identify goods as precisely as possible. Consequently, a different EAN should be assigned to each variant of the same item (different colors or sizes, for example).

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How do I obtain EAN/UCC codes?

There are online tools for automatically generating EANs. However, these sites do not guarantee the exclusivity of barcodes, and the items they generate may be confronted with other products with the same identifier.

It is therefore advisable to take out an annual subscription to GS1 France, the organization authorized to supply compliant and unique EANs.

Finally, some companies specialize in reselling codes, such as Codes à Barres France. These companies promise to make you the owner of the EANs you purchase, each of which has been tested and guaranteed not to have been used for a certain number of years.