Short answer: to get barcodes in the UK for products sold in shops or online marketplaces, join GS1 UK, the not-for-profit organisation that licenses barcode numbers in the UK. Membership gives your business a block of GTINs (Global Trade Item Numbers). You give each product its own GTIN and print it as an EAN-13 barcode.
Three things to know before you buy:
- GS1 UK is the official source. Your company is recorded against your GTINs in GS1's database, so retailers and Amazon can check that the numbers belong to you.
- Resold barcodes can cause problems. Cheap barcodes from resellers come from number ranges licensed to other companies. When a retailer or marketplace looks them up, the owner shown is not you, and GS1 US warns that numbers from unauthorised third parties "may already be associated with another company or product". Listings and supplier applications can be rejected, and relabelling stock is expensive.
- EAN-13 or UPC? EAN-13 has 13 digits and is the standard retail barcode in the UK and Europe. UPC-A has 12 digits and is mainly used in the US and Canada. Both carry a GTIN, and modern scanners worldwide read both, so a UK business normally uses EAN-13, even when it sells abroad.
A barcode is really two things: a number, and a picture of that number. The picture is easy; any barcode generator will make one. The number is what retailers and marketplaces care about, because it has to be unique worldwide and traceable to your business. This guide explains where those numbers come from, what they cost, and when you don't need one at all.
Key takeaways
- Retail barcodes in the UK come from GS1 UK membership, which licenses GTIN numbers to your business; you then turn each GTIN into an EAN-13 barcode.
- Resold barcodes come from prefixes licensed to other companies, so retailers and Amazon checking GS1 records may reject them.
- EAN-13 (13 digits) is the standard in the UK and Europe and UPC-A (12 digits) in North America; modern scanners read both.
- A barcode generator draws an image of a number; it does not give you a registered GTIN, but it is ideal for internal stock codes.
What a retail barcode actually is
The barcode on most products sold in the UK is an EAN-13: 13 digits encoded as bars and spaces. The number inside it is a GTIN-13 (Global Trade Item Number). GTINs are managed by GS1, a global organisation with national member bodies, including GS1 UK.
A GTIN-13 has three parts:
| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| Company prefix | A block of digits licensed to your business by GS1. The first digits often indicate the GS1 member organisation that issued it, which is why many UK products start with 50 |
| Item reference | The digits you assign to each individual product |
| Check digit | The last digit, calculated from the others so scanners can spot misreads |
Some important points:
- Every variant needs its own GTIN. A candle in three scents and two sizes is six products, so six GTINs.
- The prefix doesn't mean "made in". It tells you which GS1 organisation issued the number, not where the product was made.
- UPC-A is the North American equivalent with 12 digits (a GTIN-12). GS1 describes EAN as a compatible extension of UPC, and since the "Sunrise 2005" changes North American retailers' systems scan both, so a UK business normally uses EAN-13.
- Outer cases and pallets use different formats, such as ITF-14 and GS1-128, if your wholesale customers ask for them.
Option 1: Join GS1 UK (the official route)
GS1 UK membership gives you a licensed company prefix, from which you create GTINs for your products in an online account. Your company details are attached to those numbers in GS1's records, so retailers and marketplaces can confirm the products belong to you.
How much GS1 UK costs
GS1 UK charges an annual fee based on your turnover, and the GTINs are licensed rather than bought outright. These are the entry bands shown on GS1 UK's membership cost page when we checked in October 2026:
| Annual turnover | Annual fee (excluding VAT) | GTINs included |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £99,999 | £50 | 10 |
| £100,000 to £499,999 | £100 | 100 |
| Higher bands | Higher fees | More GTINs |
Prices change, so check GS1 UK's site for the current figures and any joining offers before you sign up. Because it's a licence, you pay every year to keep using the numbers.
How to join
- Count your products and variants. This decides which tier you need.
- Sign up on the GS1 UK website and choose the plan that matches your turnover.
- Create your GTINs in the GS1 UK account, adding product details such as name, brand and pack size.
- Generate the barcode artwork. GS1 UK provides tools, or you can create the image yourself from the number.
- Print and test. Check the barcode scans reliably at the size and on the material you'll use.
When GS1 is the right choice
- You plan to sell through supermarkets, high-street retailers, wholesalers or major marketplaces.
- You sell on Amazon as the brand owner.
- You want your company name to appear when a retailer looks up your barcode.
- You want room to grow without changing barcodes later.
Option 2: Buy from a barcode reseller
You'll find websites selling individual EAN or UPC barcodes for a few pounds each, with no annual fee. It's tempting for a small business with one product.
The catch is how those numbers were created. They come from company prefixes originally licensed to other businesses. When a retailer or marketplace looks up your barcode in GS1's records, it can show that other company, not yours.
That causes problems with:
- Amazon. Amazon checks product IDs against GS1's database to confirm they belong to the brand on the listing, and advises sellers to get GTINs directly from GS1 rather than from third parties selling GTIN licences. Numbers that don't match the brand can be treated as invalid and listings removed.
- Major retailers. Supermarkets and larger chains typically ask for GS1-licensed barcodes as part of supplier onboarding.
- Duplicates. If the same number was sold before, your product could clash with another item on a marketplace catalogue.
Resold barcodes may be fine for a market stall, a small independent shop that only needs something scannable at its own till, or a one-off run of products. For anything you might scale, the savings rarely justify the risk of relabelling stock later.
Amazon barcode rules in brief
Amazon's requirements change over time, so check Seller Central for your marketplace before listing. As a general picture:
- New products need a product ID, usually a GTIN (EAN or UPC), when you create a listing.
- Amazon checks the GTIN against GS1 records to confirm it belongs to the brand on the listing.
- GTIN exemptions exist for some categories and situations, such as certain handmade, private-label or unbranded goods. You apply through Seller Central, and approval isn't automatic.
- Amazon uses its own FNSKU labels for stock sent to its warehouses in some cases. An FNSKU identifies your inventory inside Amazon; it doesn't replace the need for a GTIN on the listing.
- Brand Registry doesn't remove GTIN rules, though it can make exemptions easier to obtain.
If you plan to sell your own brand on Amazon, budget for GS1 membership from the start. For more on getting product pages right, see our Shopify SEO checklist and product image size guide.
Option 3: Generate your own barcode (for internal use)
Not every barcode needs a GS1 number. If the barcode never leaves your business, you can make your own:
- Stock and warehouse locations. Label shelves, bins and boxes for a stock system.
- Asset tags. Track laptops, tools and equipment.
- Event tickets and membership cards read by your own scanners.
- Internal product codes for items you make and sell only in your own shop with your own till.
For these, use a format your scanner and software support, commonly Code 128 (letters and numbers, compact) or Code 39 (older, widely supported). Our free barcode generator creates Code 128, EAN-13, UPC-A and Code 39 barcodes, works out the check digits, and downloads them as SVG or high-resolution PNG files ready for printing.
One rule: generating a barcode image is not the same as owning a registered GTIN. A generator, ours included, will draw any 12 or 13 digits and calculate the check digit, but that doesn't register the number to your business. If you invent an EAN-13, it may belong to another company's product. For retail, get the GTIN from GS1 first, then use the generator to make the artwork for that number.
Getting the barcode printed correctly
A valid number is no use if tills can't scan it. Before printing a full run:
- Keep to sensible sizes. EAN-13 has a recommended nominal size, and shrinking it too far, or cutting the bar height, causes scan failures. GS1 UK publishes size guidance for members.
- Use dark bars on a light background. Black on white is safest. Red bars, and bars printed on metallic or clear materials, are common failures.
- Leave quiet zones. The blank margins either side of the bars must stay clear of text and graphics.
- Print the digits underneath. Staff can type them in if a scan fails.
- Avoid curves and folds. Placing a barcode across a seam or around a tight curve distorts it.
- Test on a real scanner, not just a phone app, at the final print size.
Many products now also carry a QR code linking to product information or recipes. That's separate from the retail barcode; you can create one with our free QR code generator, but the EAN-13 is still what the till scans.
Getting barcodes outside the UK
GS1 works through national member organisations in over 100 countries, and the process is the same everywhere: join the GS1 member organisation in the country where your business is based, license a company prefix (or, in some countries, individual GTINs), and create your product numbers from it.
- United States: GS1 US issues the numbers used in UPC barcodes. Its website offers both single GTINs for businesses with only a few products and GS1 Company Prefixes for larger ranges; check its current price list before you buy.
- Ireland, Australia, Canada and elsewhere: each country has its own GS1 organisation, such as GS1 Ireland, GS1 Australia and GS1 Canada. GS1's global website lists them all.
You normally go to the organisation in the country where your company is registered, not where you plan to sell. A GTIN issued by GS1 UK is valid worldwide, so UK products don't need separate barcodes for EU or US shops. The first digits show which organisation issued the number, not where the product was made.
Which option should you choose?
| Your situation | Recommended route |
|---|---|
| Selling to supermarkets or national retailers | GS1 UK membership |
| Selling your own brand on Amazon | GS1 UK membership (or an approved GTIN exemption) |
| Selling on your own website only | No retail barcode needed unless your warehouse or marketplace asks |
| Selling in a few local independent shops | Ask each shop; many will accept GS1, some will accept others |
| Stock control, asset tracking, internal labels | Generate your own Code 128 barcodes |
If you're running an online shop, Make It Flow's free tools for e-commerce cover images, product pages and technical checks. And if you're spending hours copying product data between your shop, marketplace and stock system, that's a workflow worth automating; our e-commerce automation guide shows where to start.
FAQ
How much does a barcode cost in the UK?
Through GS1 UK, pricing is an annual fee based on turnover. When we checked in October 2026, the entry tier was listed at £50 a year plus VAT for up to 10 GTINs for businesses turning over less than £100,000. Check GS1 UK's site for current prices. Resellers sell single numbers more cheaply, but those numbers aren't registered to your business.
Can I make my own barcode for free?
You can make a barcode image for free with a barcode generator, and that's fine for internal uses like stock control. For products sold through retailers or marketplaces, the number inside the barcode must be a GTIN licensed to your business, which in the UK means joining GS1 UK.
Do I need a barcode to sell on Amazon UK?
Usually you need a GTIN, such as an EAN-13, to create a new product listing, and Amazon checks it against GS1's records. Some products and categories can get a GTIN exemption through Seller Central. Check Amazon's current requirements for your category before you buy barcodes or list products.
Is it safe to buy cheap barcodes online?
They'll scan, but they're registered to the company that originally licensed them, not to you. Amazon and many large retailers check barcodes against GS1's database, so resold numbers can lead to rejected or removed listings. They can be acceptable for small local sales where nobody checks ownership.
What's the difference between EAN-13 and UPC?
EAN-13 has 13 digits and is the standard retail barcode in the UK and Europe. UPC-A has 12 digits and is mainly used in the US and Canada. Both carry a GTIN and modern scanners read both, so UK businesses normally use EAN-13 even when selling abroad.
Do I need a different barcode for each product size or colour?
Yes. Each distinct item that's sold separately needs its own GTIN, including different sizes, colours, flavours and pack quantities. A multipack sold as a single unit also needs its own number. This is why counting your variants first helps you choose the right GS1 tier.
What is an EAN barcode?
An EAN-13 is the 13-digit barcode printed on most retail products in the UK and Europe. The number it carries is a GTIN-13, made up of a GS1 company prefix, your item reference and a check digit. To use one on products you sell through retailers or marketplaces, the number should come from your own GS1 membership.
Where do I get barcodes if my business isn't in the UK?
From the GS1 member organisation in your own country, such as GS1 US in the United States or GS1 Ireland in Ireland. Each one licenses GTINs to local businesses, and the numbers are valid worldwide.
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