What is EAN-13?
EAN-13 (European Article Number) is the 13-digit barcode used on retail products worldwide. It encodes a 12-digit number plus a check digit and is the standard barcode you see on almost every packaged product in stores.
Common Uses for EAN-13
- Retail product packaging and labels
- E-commerce product listings (Amazon, eBay)
- Supermarket checkout scanning
- ISBN book barcodes (Bookland EAN)
EAN-13 vs UPC-A
EAN-13 is 13 digits and used worldwide; UPC-A is 12 digits and used in the United States and Canada. A UPC-A number can be converted to EAN-13 by adding a leading 0, and most scanners read both. If you sell only in North America, UPC-A is standard; for global retail or European marketplaces like Amazon EU, use EAN-13.
EAN-13 Check Digit Calculation
The 13th digit of an EAN-13 is a check digit calculated from the first 12 digits, used to catch scanning errors. The formula alternates weights of 1 and 3: multiply each of the 12 digits by its weight, sum them, then the check digit is the number that makes the total a multiple of 10. This tool calculates the check digit automatically, so any number you enter is output as a valid EAN-13.
How to Get an EAN Number
EAN-13 numbers are allocated under the GS1 system. To sell through retail you need a legitimate GS1 company prefix - you can join GS1 directly or buy single EAN codes from an authorized reseller (many Amazon sellers use these for FBA). Note that a barcode image alone is not a valid product number; the underlying EAN must be unique and registered to your product.