Currently, there are several types of barcodes applicable in different contexts, but the most common barcode is made up of 13 digits and is called EAN/UPC , assigned by GS1 , which must be used for reading at the point of sale or in exclusive applications.
The EAN (European Article Number) allows you to quickly and clearly instagram database a set of data, such as the country, company and product details, since each number has a meaning and influences the way the barcode is read by the reader. Find out more about the EAN as a barcode .
How does the barcode work?
The bars are the graphic representation of the numbers located just below them. They represent a binary code (1 or 0), following the logic of computing to form the data, in which the barcode reader absorbs the light in the black part and encodes the number 1 and the white bars reflect the light and encode the number 0. In other words, the black and white lines encode the characters and the result of this combination is an exact description of the product through a set of 95 digits, which will be read by a computer or smartphone.
You can see that each bar has a different thickness, representing different characters. Additionally, the first 3 bars of the code indicate the introduction of the code and, generally, before the bars, a number usually appears, which is not well aligned with them, compared to the others. In the case of Portuguese products, the number that appears is 5.
In addition, each set of numbers at the bottom of the bars has a different meaning:
First 3 numbers:
Each country has a prefix associated with the code and, in the case of Portugal, the number 560 identifies that the barcode was assigned to a company that is part of GS1 Portugal, called CEP - Portuguese Company Code. However, it is important to highlight that a company may have its headquarters here, but manufacture its products in other countries and vice versa or import them. In other words, this number is valid in the following situations:
A foreign company that establishes a branch in Portugal, or has a Portuguese commercial registration;
A national company that imports products manufactured abroad and resells them on the national market as its own brand;
A national company that places its products directly on a foreign market, since GS1 codes are internationally recognized.
Second block of numbers:
This group can contain up to 9 digits, where the first 4/5/6 numbers normally indicate the company number and the following numbers identify the product.
There is strict control of the codes to ensure there is no duplication between different manufacturers and that is why it is so important to register with GS1 Portugal , in this case, and start creating your barcodes.
