Company’s do not buy UPC numbers from the GS1 they are licensed and need to be registered annually for a fee from the GS1. The GS1 (formerly the Uniform Code Council) is a non-profit, global organization that controls the standards and issuance of UPC barcode identifying numbers (Global Trade Item Number®/GTIN®) to companies that distribute their barcoded products nationally and internationally in regulated and monitored distribution channels. IMPORTANT: it is common practice for the leading 1-digit 'Number System Character' and the following 5-digit 'Manufacturer Number' to be combined into a 6-digit sequence and referred to simply as a “ Company Prefix' (Number System Character + Manufacturer Number = Company Prefix). Here is a listing of what the different number system characters from 0 to 9 denote:Ġ, 1, 6, 7 & 8 are for standard UPC-A barcodes (most commonly used for retail applications).Ģ is for random weight items such as meats or fruits.Ĥ is for in-store identification of non-food products.

When creating a custom UPC barcode from scratch, the following handy reference will help you choose the correct 1-digit 'Number System Character' starting all UPC-A barcodes as shown in above image. Choosing the Right 'Number System Character' If you need to create a barcode for consumer products that will be sold in a retail store by you, then you will need to create UPC-A barcodes.Ī standard UPC-A barcode consists of 12 digits comprising of 4 unique sections, and they are: a 'Number System Character', a 5 digit 'Manufacturer Number', a 5 digit 'Item Number', and a 'Check Digit.'ģ. UPC-A barcodes are the most common consumer product barcodes used in North America. Anatomy of a UPC (Universal Product Code) Barcode

We will also give you a brief overview of the GS1 and if you need to have licensed and registered UPC numbers from them.Ģ. You will also learn how to correctly format a UPC barcode in our free online Barcode Generator and how to print UPC barcodes on sheets of labels from Microsoft Word on a standard desktop laser or inkjet printer. In this tutorial we will show you the different components that constitute a UPC barcode and their functions. PC America Hardware/Software Package Upgrades.

Lowes barcode generator