GTIN Barcodes

A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the unique identifier for a product. No two products use the same number. Barcode software encodes the GTIN into a linear barcode, which you scan on retail products at checkout. GTINs ensure your products are globally recognised and uniquely identifiable, making them essential for retailers and online marketplaces. It’s just a newer term for barcode.

In Ireland, using GTIN‑13 (EAN‑13) is standard practice, with UPC-A widely accepted too. GTINs boost your product’s visibility, traceability, and trustworthiness, and most retailers like Aldi, Dunnes Stores, and Musgrave depend on them for stock control and pricing.

Linear barcodes are transitioning to 2D Digital Link QR codes from 2027 onwards. Hence the growing use of the term GTIN. The GTIN will be encoded into a digital QR code rather than the traditional linear barcode that has been on products for over fifty years. For more information on the move to 2D Digital Link QR codes, please see this page. We offer a 2D Digital Link service to all our existing clients and to new customers.

The most common GTINs are EAN-13 (GTIN‑13), UPC-A (GTIN‑12), or ITF‑14 (GTIN‑14).

GTIN barcodes are usually referred to with a number on the end, for example, GTIN-13 or GTIN-14. This determines the type of retail barcode format that it is. For example, a GTIN-13 is an EAN-13 and a GTIN-14 is an ITF-14.

Buy a GTIN:

GTIN-13 (EAN-13) for a retail product

GTIN-12 (UPC-A) for retail in the USA or Canada

GTIN-14 (or ITF-14) for the wholesale carton of multiple products (not for the product itself)

Please watch our short video explainer.

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

‘Many thanks for your prompt, courteous and (above all) effective reply.’ – Les & Mira.