GS1 GTIN — Global Trade Item Number

The Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is the GS1 standard identifier for trade items (products and services). GTINs are encoded in barcodes (EAN-13, UPC-A, ITF-14, etc.) and used in product registries, electronic commerce, and supply chain management systems worldwide.

GTIN Types

GTIN-8 (EAN-8): 8-digit code for small products. GTIN-12 (UPC-A): 12-digit code used primarily in North America. GTIN-13 (EAN-13): 13-digit code used globally. GTIN-14 (ITF-14): 14-digit code used for cases and pallets. All GTIN types can be converted to GTIN-14 by padding with leading zeros.

GS1 Company Prefix

To create GTINs, companies must obtain a GS1 Company Prefix from their national GS1 member organisation. The company prefix is the first part of the GTIN and identifies the company. The company then assigns item reference numbers to create unique GTINs for each product.