What is a barcode?

Barcodes (the full term - bar code) is a standardly presented sequence (alternation) of vertical black and white stripes. This sequence represents certain standard information in a form that is convenient for reading this information with special devices. Decoding the barcode is very simple and is available below on this page.
Get barcode Inna Panasyuk, Agency lawyer, barcode specialist, will be happy to see you, her photo is on the right. Tell me the problem and she will solve it for you!

Barcode: how to get it?

Getting a barcode with us is easy!
To receive a barcode you need:
A) Or write to us by e-mail about what you need barcode registration(same as receiving a barcode);
B) Or call our office by regular phones (Kyiv code 044): 486-38-13, 486-43-81, 486-64-68 . Or call mobile numbers 098 773-33-53 (Kyivstar), 063 942-55-33 (Life), 099 433-01-33 (MTS);
B) Or use the Order form to receiving a barcode, if you click on the "ORDER" link below on this page;

If you have chosen to work by e-mail, then please write to us at , a letter of free content:
- "Need to get barcode. We are a small (medium or large) enterprise or private entrepreneur. Send a set of documents and a description of the procedure."
Of course, please indicate contact person and ways to contact you.

Need a quick answer to a question? Urgently need a barcode? Then call us directly on the phone: 044 486-64-68. We are always glad to hear from you!

Get BARCODE

Basic tasks of a barcode.
A barcode provides certain information about certain goods or products, plus it allows it to be automatically processed by a special scanner. The information in a barcode is represented by numbers, which are located in a certain sequence under the vertical stripes. It is mistakenly believed that by decoding the EAN-13 barcode information, you can learn a lot useful information. In fact, first of all, the EAN-13 barcode serves as a key to information stored in enterprise information databases.

Barcode decoding.
In the EAN-13 barcode, the following information is encoded in numbers (sometimes called encrypted):
Country of origin. These are the first three digits. It is indicated by the prefix of the national GS1 Member Organization. And for Ukraine this code is 482. There is a misconception that the first 3 digits of the barcode determine exactly country of origin goods. This is not true. By the first three digits of the barcode, you can only determine in which country, or more correctly, in which national organization, a member of GS1, this company is registered. There is more information about this part of the barcode below on this page;
An identification number(GS1 prefix) enterprises. A business's GS1 prefix consists of six, seven, eight, or nine digits, depending on the business's numbering needs. Each business that labels products with GS1 barcodes is issued a unique GS1 Business Prefix. The right of an enterprise to use the GS1 prefix is ​​certified by the appropriate Certificate;
Name (more correctly, number) of the product. The product number is in no way connected with any feature or consumer qualities of the product;
A check digit that is used to verify that the scanner is reading strokes correctly. It is calculated from the previous twelve using a special algorithm.

The barcode does not correspond to the country of production.
Barcode of the country indicated in the first three digits in some cases does not match country of manufacture of the goods. This happens in the following cases:
1. The enterprise is registered and received a barcode not in its own country, but in the country where the main export of its products is directed;
2. The product was manufactured at a subsidiary. And the barcode will be indicated by the parent company, which is registered in EAN-13;
3. The product was manufactured in one country, but under a license from an enterprise in another country.
4. The founders of the company are several enterprises from different countries. And the barcode will be indicated for the company that is registered in EAN-13.

BARCODE Registration

Uniqueness of the barcode.
GS1 barcodes around the world are generated in accordance with the same worldwide standards. The GS1 Identification System ensures that the Global SKU number assigned to the product, which appears on the product as barcode, cannot be accidentally assigned to another product in another country in the world. Therefore, a barcode received in Ukraine will be valid in any country in the world.

Country barcodes

00, 01, 03, 04, 06	USA, Canada		73	Sweden
20-29	Reserve numbers		740-745	Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama
30-37	France		750	Mexico
380	Bulgaria		759	Venezuela
383	Slovenia		76	Switzerland
385	Croatia		770	Colombia
400-440	Germany		773	Uruguay
460	Russia		775	Peru
482	Ukraine		779	Argentina
489	Hong Kong		780	Chile
49	Japan		786	Ecuador
50	Great Britain		789	Brazil
520	Greece		80-83	Italy
529	Cyprus		84	Iceland
535	Malta		850	Cuba
539	Ireland		859	Czech
54	Belgium and Luxembourg		860	Yugoslavia
560	Portugal		869	Türkiye
569	Iceland		87	Netherlands
57	Denmark		880	South Korea
590	Poland		885	Thailand
599	Hungary		888	Singapore
600-601	South Africa		90-91	Austria
619	Tunisia		93	Australia
64	Finland		94	New Zealand
690	China		977	periodicals
70	Norway		976-979	books
729	Israel		98-99	check books

An example of calculating a barcode check digit to determine the authenticity of a product:

1. Add the numbers in even places:
8+0+2+7+0+1=18
2. Multiply the resulting amount by 3:
18x3=54
3. Add numbers in odd places without a check digit:
4+2+0+4+0+0=10
4. Add the numbers indicated in points 2 and 3:
54+10=64
5. Drop tens:
we get 4
6. Subtract from 10 what you got in step 5:
10-4=6

If the number obtained after calculation does not match the control number in the barcode, this means that the product was produced illegally.

Receiving a barcode- most effective method product labeling.

Receiving a barcode with us: quickly and professionally!

Instructions

Look at hatch- code . According to the European standard, it must contain 13 digits. The first two indicate the country, the next five - code enterprises, then consumer properties are encrypted in five numbers (product name, consumer characteristics, weight, composition, color).

Calculate the last digit hatch- code a - control, which is intended to determine the authenticity code A. To do this, you need to add up the numbers that are in even places. Multiply this amount by three. Then add up the numbers that are located in odd places, with the exception of the last one. Add the two results. Subtract the first digit from the amount. Subtract the last result from ten. The result should be a number that will be equal to the last, control one. Therefore, this is an original product. If this does not happen, then most likely the product is counterfeit. For example, take hatch- code "4823061430014":1. Addition of numbers located in even places: 8+3+6+4+0+1=22;
2. Multiplying the result by 3: 22x3=66;
3. Addition of numbers located in odd places, except for the last one: 4+2+0+1+3+0=10;
4. Addition of sums of numbers: 66+10=76;
5. Remove the first digit: 76-70=6;
6. Subtract the resulting number from 10: 10-6 = 4. The checksum is 4, which corresponds to the last digit hatch- code A.

A bar code is applied to product packaging to provide information about the products being sold. Various data are encrypted with a specific set of numbers. Knowing how to read a barcode correctly can provide a lot of useful information about a product.

Instructions

Look at the first two or three digits of the barcode on the product packaging. They report the country of origin. Each country has a specific set of numbers. For example, for Russia it is: 460, and for Ukraine – 482. You can find detailed tables of country codes on one of the sites dedicated to this issue.

Pay attention to the next four or five digits in the barcode, they inform you about the manufacturer. Databases with this information are inaccessible to ordinary buyers, so this information is often used by wholesalers.

Take a look at the next five digits of the barcode. This is encrypted information about the product itself. The first number out of five indicates the name of the product, the second – consumer properties, the third – dimensions, the fourth – weight, the fifth – color. But it is unlikely that an ordinary buyer will be able to use this data, because... They are intended primarily for large purchasing firms.

Look at the last digit of the barcode - this is the control digit of the product. Using it you can determine the authenticity of the product. To do this you need to do the following:

Calculate the sum of the numbers in the even positions in the barcode;
multiply the amount received in the first point by 3;
add up all the numbers that are in odd places, without taking into account the check digit;
find the sum of the numbers obtained in steps 2 and 3;
discard the number of tens in the resulting sum;
subtract the number from 10 that you got in step 5;
compare the resulting number in step 6 with the control number in the barcode. If they do not match, you have a fake product.

A bar code is a graphic representation of numbers in the form of bars and spaces, intended to be read automatic devices information contained in them. In the symbolism of a bar code, a person perceives only numbers that are understandable to him, placed under graphic image. Using a bar code, information about some of the most significant parameters of the product is encoded. The most common are the American Universal Product Code (UPC) and the European EAN coding system.
According to one system or another, each type of product is assigned its own number, most often consisting of 13 digits (EAN-13).

How to decipher a barcode?

The control figure is intended to determine the legality of the production of a particular product.

How to calculate a check digit:
1. Add the numbers in even places SC 6+0+7+2+1+0=16
2. Multiply the resulting amount by three 16*3=48
3. Add the numbers in odd places (except for the check digit itself) 4+0+3+6+1+2=16
4. Add the numbers obtained in steps 2 and 3 48+16=64
5. Discard tens 64-60=4
6. From the number 10, subtract the result obtained in step 5 10-4=6

If the number obtained after calculation does not match the control number in the barcode, this means that the product was produced illegally.

It is also possible that three characters are allocated for the manufacturer country code, and four characters for the enterprise code. Products that are large in size may have a short code consisting of eight digits - EAN-8.

Typically, the country code is assigned by the International Association EAN. We draw the attention of consumers to the fact that the strange code never consists of one digit.

It is also possible that three characters are allocated for the manufacturer country code, and four characters for the enterprise code.

Note:
Often you can see an inscription on a product, for example, “Made in Holland,” but the code on the label does not correspond to this country. There may be several reasons for this.
First: the company was registered and received a code not in its own country, but in the one where the main export of its products is directed.
Second: the product was manufactured at a subsidiary.
Third: perhaps the product was manufactured in one country, but under a license from a company from another country.
Fourth: the founders of the enterprise are several companies from different countries.

Barcodes of some countries:
00-09 USA Canada; 73 - Sweden;
20-29 Reserve numbers (EAN);
740-745 - Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama;
30-37 France;
750 – Mexico
380 Bulgaria;
759 - Venezuela;
383 Slovenia;
76 – Switzerland
385 Croatia;
770 - Colombia;
400-440 Germany;
773 - Uruguay;
460-469 - Russia and b. THE USSR;
775 - Peru;
4605 - Latvia;
779 - Argentina;
471 - Taiwan;
786 - Ecuador
489 - Hong Kong;
789 – Brazil
45, 49 - Japan;
80-83 - Italy
50 - Great Britain;
84 - Spain;
520 - Greece;
850 - Cuba;
529 - Cyprus;
859 – Czech Republic and Slovakia
535 - Malta;
860 - Yugoslavia
539 - Ireland;
869 - Türkiye;
54 - Belgium and Luxembourg;
87 - Netherlands;
560 - Portugal;
880 - South Korea;
569 - Iceland;
885 - Thailand;
57 - Denmark;
888- Singapore;
590 - Poland;
90-91 - New Zealand;
599 - Hungary;
955 - Malaysia;
600-601 - South Africa;
619 - Tunisia;
64 - Finland;
690 - China;
70 - Norway;
729 - Israel.

The stripes are the barcode, and the device emitting the beams is the scanner. It reads the information from the barcode and transmits it to the cash register screen. The fact is that in large stores and supermarkets a list of goods with information about each of them is stored in the memory of a special computer. Cash registers, which are also specialized computers, are connected to this computer.

Each product is assigned a unique number encrypted in a barcode. The scanner reads this number from the barcode and transmits it to the main computer, which retrieves the product name and price from memory and transmits it to the cash register. Main computer also keeps records of sold and remaining goods. Therefore, we always find a barcode on the packaging of each product purchased in a store (on a bag, bottle, can, etc.).

This is a kind of trademark intended for automatic reading. Each barcode is unique on a global scale and contains basic information about the product. The barcode forms a major part of automated identification technology.

Identification (from the Latin word identifico - to identify) is the identification of an unknown object by the coincidence of characteristics with a known object; This is the process of comparing an object with some standard. The word “code” itself suggests that the barcode encrypts information about an object (product, document, etc.). In Russia, mainly 2 types of barcodes are used: 13-bit codes of the European EAN system, introduced in 1986, and encoding systems for settlement and payment documents compatible with EAN.

The barcode consists of a number of strokes-lines of varying thickness and spaces between them, and under this picture the numbers encrypted in the barcode in Arabic numerals are indicated. The EAN system encrypts 13 digits. The first 2 digits are the country code, the next 5 digits are the manufacturer or seller code, then 5 digits are the product code, and the last digit is a digit to verify the correctness of scanning.

Bar coding was developed back in 1932, and patented in America in 1949 by D. Woodman and B. Silver. Of all the methods of automatic identification, barcoding has gained the greatest popularity due to its simplicity and low cost of consumables - printing media, stickers and labels.

A barcode is applied to transport and consumer packaging of domestic or imported mass-produced goods using a printing method or using adhesive (sewn on) labels, tags, etc. In most cases, the presence of a barcode on the packaging of a product is a prerequisite for its import and export, and the absence of a barcode can affect the competitiveness of products, their price, and makes it difficult or impossible to sell.

Many trade organizations refuse to accept goods without a barcode. The reason for the refusal is that the system of encoding and processing information about a product using a barcode is economically justified only if it covers at least 85% of goods or products.

The use of a barcode, in addition to transmitting information and identifying an object, performs several more additional functions :

— automatic identification using machine counting devices (mainly computers);

— automation of control and inventory accounting; operational management of the movement of goods - shipment, transportation, warehousing (labor productivity increases by 30% or more);

— acceleration and improvement of customer service culture;

— improving marketing research (i.e. market research).

The possibility of mass use of barcodes especially increased when the rapid development of computerization and related information technologies, widespread introduction of computers in manufacturing, transportation and trade.

Regarding barcodes, there are several misconceptions. The most common opinion is that the country of origin of the product can be determined by the first two or three digits of the barcode. In fact, these numbers only indicate national organization, in which the manufacturer was registered. For example, a Russian enterprise supplying goods to Norway can legally register there and use the number of this country in the barcode. And you can register in several countries on the same basis.

According to the second misconception, only the manufacturer of the product can apply a barcode. In fact, the right of first refusal belongs to the owner trademark(brand), then to the manufacturer, then to the supplier, if the previous persons or organizations for some reason did not want to be marked with a barcode. For example, bottles of Coca-Cola produced in the Moscow region and sold in Moscow have a Belgian barcode belonging to the owner of the recipe.

The third misconception is that using a barcode you can find out about the consumer properties of a product - style, color, size, expiration date, etc. There is nothing like that. All such information is stored in the manufacturer’s electronic catalog, to which buyers do not have access.

It is believed that a barcode protects goods from fakes. Using the numbers printed on the barcode, using simple arithmetic operations you can check its authenticity. However, such actions are not described here, since this can prove the authenticity of the packaging or sticker (label), but not the product itself. We all know very well how counterfeit goods are placed in genuine packaging, having purchased the latter from the corresponding fraudulent organizations.

Thus, for us, consumers, barcodes have little or no benefit, but they are of great benefit to manufacturers, carriers and sellers of various goods. Therefore, just as we did not pay attention to barcodes, we will not pay attention to them in the future. Useful - and ok!

And we will continue to determine the quality of the goods “by eye”, from our own experience. In general, there is no point in blaming the barcode if... you don’t understand it yourself.