GTIN
Colloquially, many know GTIN as a barcode, but technically, GTIN is the number found beneath the barcode symbol itself, and can therefore also be used for other technologies such as 2D barcodes and RFID tags.
Colloquially, many know GTIN as a barcode, but technically, GTIN is the number found beneath the barcode symbol itself, and can therefore also be used for other technologies such as 2D barcodes and RFID tags.
Every year, the GS1 General Specifications are released in a new, updated edition. It is the master document for GS1 standards, describing how GS1 barcodes and identification keys should be used. And now, the 2024 edition has arrived.
The document is over 500 pages long, but don't worry—we have already chewed through it and summarized the most important updates for you.
For standard nerds like us, there are naturally many exciting updates, but the transition period from familiar 1D barcodes (like EAN and UPC) to 2D barcodes (e.g., GS1 DataMatrix or a QR code with GS1 Digital Link) is particularly interesting.
During the transition period, it will often be necessary for brand owners to label their products with both a 1D and a 2D barcode. This is to ensure that everyone in the supply chain can scan the product, even if they are not yet ready to process 2D barcodes. The GS1 General Specifications have therefore been expanded with rules for the placement of 2D barcodes in relation to existing 1D barcodes.
Information in a barcode must often be provided in a human-readable format in case a barcode is damaged or cannot be scanned for other reasons. The GS1 General Specifications have now been updated with expanded guidance and a separation of rules for HRI (Human Readable Interpretation) and non-HRI (non-Human Readable Interpretation). Here, too, the focus is primarily on 2D barcodes that appear in conjunction with 1D barcodes, such as EAN-13.
Early adopters of GS1 Digital Link were allowed to choose whether they wanted to express the GTIN in the GS1 Digital Link URI Syntax standard with, for example, 12, 13, or 14 digits. This was assessed as potentially leading to unintended incidents, since the GTIN in Application Identifier (01) must be expressed in 14 digits, just as it must be in the GDSN standard. Therefore, GS1 is now introducing similar requirements for 14-digit GTINs in GS1 Digital Link.
With the transition to 2D barcodes, it is important that the RCN is never expressed in a 2D barcode, a GS1-128, or a GS1 DataBar. This is now further reflected in the GS1 General Specifications.
Unrelated to the transition to 2D barcodes, the GS1 General Specifications have now been updated with more precise language regarding groupings of trade items that, for example, have similar attributes and/or are considered a "family" of products. This is done through the use of the GS1 Global Model Number (GMN), which thus does not replace a GTIN, but acts as a connecting attribute between multiple GTINs (trade items).
Please note that there is now less than one year until January 1, 2025, when the requirements in the GS1 General Specifications for date formats for production date (11) and expiration date (17) change for products related to the healthcare sector. It will no longer be permitted to use two zeros, "00", to express a date. A specific day must be included in the date format. For example, an expiration date for January 2025 must be expressed as a specific day, such as January 31, 2025. Therefore, it is no longer permitted under the GS1 standard guidelines to have a date format value for January 2025 as "250100"; it must be expressed with an explicit date, e.g., January 31, 2025, as "250131".
Find all of this year's updates in the GS1 General Specifications
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GTIN (also known as EAN) stands for “Global Trade Item Number” and is the number sequence shown beneath a barcode symbol.
GTIN (EAN) is a global standard used to uniquely identify digital and physical products, allowing the barcode to be scanned anywhere in the world throughout the supply chain.
A GLN (also known as EAN) allows you to uniquely identify physical, functional, legal, or digital entities. This can include the sender, receiver, buyer, seller, supplier, manufacturer, delivery location, billing location, store, or internal departments.
