Barcodes

Barcodes are another way of representing numbers, letters and characters but in a machine-readable form, instead of human-readable.

There are different barcodes (data carriers) to suit different uses and applications. Each is designed to help improve supply chain efficiency and accuracy.

Types of Barcodes

Barcode/Tag	Display	Capacity	Data structure	Usage	Examples
EAN-13		13 digits	GTIN-13	For marking products often sold at retail point-of-sale. It encodes the GTIN-13 and is more commonly used outside of North America, although able to be used globally.	Used on retail items that cross point-of-sale applications such as cans of soup, chocolate bars, medicines, medical devices.
EAN-8		8 digits	GTIN-8	Used on small packages where the EAN-13 barcode would be too large. It encodes the GTIN-8.	Used on small retail items such as cosmetics, that cross point-of-sale applications.
UPC-A		12 digits	GTIN-12	Encodes a GTIN-12 to uniquely identify a product and is most commonly used for retailer point-of-sale within North America, although able to be used globally.	Used on retail items that cross point-of-sale applications.
UPC-E		12 digits	GTIN-12	Allows the use of certain GTIN-12s on smaller packages, in North America where the UPC-A may not fit. It utilizes a zero-suppression method to compress the GTIN-12 into an 8-digit format.	Used on small retail items such as cosmetics, packs of chewing gum, and cigarettes.
GS1 DataBar Stacked Omnidirectional		14 digits	GTIN-8 GTIN-12 GTIN-13	Used to condense the GTIN into a more compact barcode suitable for use on small packages and loose fresh produce. It has the capability for omnidirectional scanning.	Used on very small items such as loose unpacked fruits.
GS1 DataMatrix		Up to 2,335 characters	Concatenated strings using GS1 Application Identifiers	A two-dimensional barcode. It requires image-based scanners.	Direct part marking of surgical instruments and rail components. Printed on Logistics Labels and grocery items at POS. Approved for Retail POS The only 2D barcode approved for use in the Australian Rail industry. Preferred barcode for healthcare sector, particularly for regulated pharmacy and medical devices.
DataMatrix		High character capacity	GS1 Digital Link URI syntax	A two-dimensional barcode to encode GS1 Digital Link URIs to extend product packaging to brand-authorised online information and experiences.	Scanned by consumers using mobile devices to access product information on the web. Approved for Retail POS*
QR Code		High character capacity	GS1 Digital Link URI syntax	A two-dimensional barcode to encode GS1 Digital Link URIs to extend product packaging to brand-authorised online information and experiences.	Scanned by consumers using mobile devices to access product information on the web. Approved for Retail POS*
GS1 QR Code		High character capacity	Concatenated strings using GS1 Application Identifiers	Designed to be read by specific scanners and smartphone apps. A two-dimensional barcode.	Not approved for general retail POS.
GS1-128		Up to 48 characters	Concatenated strings using GS1 Application Identifiers	Uses a series of GS1 Application Identifiers (AIs) to include additional data such as best before date, batch/lot number, quantity, weight, and many other attributes. It also encodes the SSCC when used on logistic labels.	Used on cases, pallets, and logistic units in general distribution. Not for retail POS.
ITF-14		14 digits	GTIN-12 GTIN-13 GTIN-14	Generally used on higher packaging levels of a product, such as a case or carton. It lends itself well to be directly printed on corrugated material.	Used on cases, pallets, and logistic units in general distribution. Not for retail POS.