EAN-8, EAN-13, UPC and GTIN-14
A practical overview of the most common numbering and barcode formats used in trade.
EAN-8
EAN-8 is used for short eight-digit GTINs, often where packaging space is limited.
EAN-13
EAN-13 is widely used in Europe and many other markets and normally encodes a 13-digit GTIN.
UPC
UPC-A is especially common in North America and encodes a 12-digit GTIN. In global identification systems UPC belongs to the GTIN family.
GTIN-14
GTIN-14 is often used for higher-level packaging or trade units. It does not necessarily appear as a classic EAN barcode on a consumer product.