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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.
How do you get the most optimal, scannable barcodes on your sales devices? Read here to understand which parameters are important to meet so that your products can be scanned easily and quickly at the exit boxes.
We look here at the types of barcodes EAN-13, the known barcode that you see on most products in stores, as well as EAN-8, which is used only for small products.
Barcodes can be formed through the use of various programs, among which our service GS1Trade Activate where you can easily create correct barcodes for your products. Barcodes can either be printed directly on the packaging or on labels that are then affixed to the products.
A barcode expresses the number below the barcode. This number is known as a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN). If you want more information, then read the following tutorial on how to form GTINs.
In order for the barcode to have the greatest chance of being able to be scanned in the output box, the following must be fulfilled:
Choose the right size for the barcode, as well as light zone.
EAN barcodes can be printed in different sizes. Barcode dimensions are based on a normal size, which is denoted by size factor 1.0 (= 100%).
EAN barcodes shall have a minimum size factor of 0,8 (80%) and a maximum of 2,0 (200%).
Furthermore, all EAN barcodes must have an empty margin (light zone) in each page in order for them to be scanned.
The following table gives examples of barcode sizes in millimetres by size factor for EAN-13 and EAN-8 barcodes respectively.
You can see a larger overview of barcode sizes in our guide: How big should EAN-13 and EAN-8 be.
* Latitude values include light zone. The height indications are a minimum height and are exclusively the digits below the barcode.
It is important to maintain the proportions of the barcode if you reduce its dimensions. If you reduce the height of the barcode, the scan becomes more unstable (insecure) in the output box. However, if the physical conditions of the product do not allow a full-size barcode, We recommend a reduction in height rather than a reduction in width..
A barcode that is placed inappropriately complicates the scanning process. Follow the rules below to ensure that your product can be scanned in store exit boxes, regardless of the shape of the packaging.
The following placement is recommended (in order of priority):
The barcode must not be closer than 8 mm or further away than 100 mm from any edge of the package. If it is too close to the edge, it is easily destroyed and cannot be scanned. If it is far away from an edge, the scanner cannot find the barcode and thus cannot be scanned with anything other than a handheld scanner.
In the following example, it is the location of the barcode that makes the entire barcode invisible to the scanner.
Printing process and product curvature determine whether the barcode should be placed as ladder or fence. If print and curvature allow, we recommend that the barcode be placed as a fence. However, on round or very small products with a diameter of less than 5 cm, the barcode should be placed on a high like a ladder. That way, the entire barcode is visible to the scanner.
Ladder placement: On product with a diameter of less than 5 cm
Fence placement: On product with diameter over 5 cm
Anything that can hide or destroy the barcode will reduce readability and must be avoided. Examples include:
There must be at least one visible barcode on the product containing the product's GTIN. If the product is large (over 450 mm in two dimensions: height, width or length) or heavy (over 13 kg), it is a good idea to use two or more barcodes.
The barcode must be printed in high quality for the scan to work optimally in the output boxes.
It is important that the symbol is printed in high quality on a material that is printable, where the ink does not spill. The lines should be clear and straight on a light background, without ink scattering and gaps.
It is recommended that the barcodes be tested with a verifier following ISO/IEC15416. The ISO quality rating must be at least 1.5.
We also recommend that you check your printer regularly, as blurry barcodes can occur if the printer is not cleaned regularly.
Scanners use a red light to read barcodes, so not all color combinations can be scanned. The scanner relies on contrast between dark and light lines. Black lines on a white background are the easiest for the scanner to detect, but other combinations can also work.
In the figure below you can see different color combinations that scanners can read — and some combinations that you should avoid.
We recommend that I test whether the barcode can be scanned before production starts.
Do you know the three barcode errors that we most often see in our members? Watch the short video with them here and learn how to avoid them.
Still unsure about how to make your barcodes? Or do you want to know how best to keep track of them digitally in GS1Trades Activate, which is free for GS1 members?
Do you still need help? Reach out to our support team. We are always ready to help.
