Whether you’re selling your products in store or online, you’ll need a specific number to identify them.
This is a Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) – the number you see under a barcode – also known as an EAN or UPC.
The GTIN means different items all over the world can be uniquely identified, giving you an accurate and efficient way to access and share information about your products.
GS1 UK is the only authorised provider of unique GTINs. Our GTINs and barcodes are used and accepted by retailers and marketplaces across the world, making it easy to sell your products anywhere.
What are they?
A GS1 GTIN is a globally unique identification number for an item or product and can be used to identify your products at any packaging level.
It’s powerful because it provides a common language for your business entities and trading partners across the world to identify your item and share its data easily. You can also use GTINs online to uniquely identify your products on marketplaces like Amazon and eBay.
Google also recommends you add them to your Google Shopping listings.
Why use GTINs?
Trust
Because each number is unique, GTINs give your retailers and consumers trust in what’s on the physical and digital shelf.
Traceability
GTINs are licensed to each GS1 member, so they can be tracked and traced through the global supply chain, easily and efficiently.
Truly global
GTINs are the global standard for identifying items and GS1 is the only authorised source for GTINs worldwide.
Increased visibility
GTINs make sure search engines and online marketplaces recognise and represent your products correctly, making them more visible to consumers.
Make sure your barcode numbers are unique to your brand
Not all product identifiers are created equal. If you buy numbers from a non-GS1 organisation, you might find that the number is already being used by another organisation. It may not even be a genuine GTIN. This can lead to big problems and in some extreme cases, your product can be delisted by marketplaces or rejected by a retailer.
You can avoid this headache by getting GTINs from an official GS1 organisation. As we’re the only authorised source of GTINs you can be sure that the numbers you assign to your products are unique to your brand. And we can help you get set up for success too.
If you are not sure about your barcode numbers and want to check if they are licensed to you then you can use our online tool to find out. And, if you don't like what you see, get in touch and we can guide you through the next steps.
