What Is an EAN (European Article Number)?

An EAN is a 13-digit GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) that GS1 US says retailers across much of the world use to identify products when they are scanned at the point of sale. GS1 US calls the GTIN-13 synonymous with EAN and the only GTIN type that can be encoded in the EAN-13 barcode.

• Two forms: the EAN-13 is the full product code, used for traditional packaging. The EAN-8 condenses the code from 13 digits to 8 for smaller packages, and GS1 US says it scans and functions exactly the same as the full EAN-13.
• Where it is used: GS1 US says EAN numbers are used internationally, primarily in the U.K. and throughout Europe, as part of a POS system. The GTIN-13 is predominately used outside North America.
• Beyond checkout: GS1 US says an EAN also plays a significant role in supply chain tracking and inventory management.
• One system with the UPC: GS1 US says EAN was developed as a compatible extension of the UPC system to support international trade, and through the EAN/UCC Sunrise 2005 initiative retailers and trading partners updated their systems to scan both.

GS1 US describes a 13-digit EAN code in three parts:

• GS1 Company Prefix: a variable-length company code assigned to your business when you register with GS1.
• Product number: assigned to each item you sell, with a unique combination for each variant.
• Check digit: the final number, added to detect errors and to authenticate the product number sequence.

GS1 Company Prefixes are based on GS1 Prefixes, and GS1's prefix list maps ranges to GS1 member organizations, for example 300 to 379 to GS1 France and 400 to 440 to GS1 Germany. GS1 says these prefixes do not identify a product's country of origin, because companies can manufacture products anywhere in the world.

• Length: a UPC is a 12-digit code primarily used in North America. An EAN is one digit longer, which changes the format of the numbers in the code.
• Check digit placement: a UPC has a trailing check digit to the right of the bars, while an EAN keeps the check digit inside the bars.
• Selling across regions: GS1 US says an EAN code works in the U.S. and a UPC works in Europe, so you do not need to register your products with more than one code.

GS1's worked example of the GTIN-13 check digit uses the 12 digits 6 2 9 1 0 4 1 5 0 0 2 1:

• Step 1: multiply each digit by 1 and 3 in turn, starting with 1, as GS1's table aligns them: 6, 6, 9, 3, 0, 12, 1, 15, 0, 0, 2, 3.
• Step 2: add the results: the sum is 57.
• Step 3: subtract the sum from the nearest equal or higher multiple of ten: 60 - 57 = 3.

The check digit is 3, so the full 13-digit EAN is 6291041500213.

Shopify barcodes identify products and variants for scanning and in online marketplaces, and you can add up to 20 to a product or a variant. Each barcode can have a type that records its standard:

• EAN: European Article Number, which can be 8 or 13 digits.
• GTIN: 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits. A barcode that's registered with GS1 is set to this type automatically.

Shopify also says that from November 1, 2026, the European Union requires product identifiers for every item in a parcel that is sent to a customer in the EU from outside the EU and is worth €150 or less. Shopify lists a standardized identifier, a barcode issued under an international standard such as a GTIN, EAN, UPC or ISBN, among them. This is general information, not customs advice.

Uncap's guide to B2B ecommerce for manufacturers puts the rule plainly: if retailers or marketplaces resell your products, plan a GTIN for every sellable unit.

• GTIN (Global Trade Item Number)
• UPC (Universal Product Code)
• SKU (stock keeping unit)
• GDSN (Global Data Synchronization Network)
• Manufacturer part number (MPN)
• GLN (Global Location Number)

• GS1 US: EAN Numbers and UPCs: What is the Difference?
• GS1: GS1 Company Prefix
• Shopify Help Center: Product details page