EAN14

EAN-14, also known as GTIN-14, is a 14-digit Global Trade Item Number used to identify packaging levels of a product within the GS1 system. It enables identification of items at various packaging levels such as inner packs, cases, and pallets, supporting efficient stock control, routing, and traceability across the supply chain.

Construction: A GTIN-14 is formed by inserting a packaging indicator digit in front of the GTIN data and recalculating the check digit to produce 14 digits. The leading packaging indicator identifies the packaging level or hierarchy, while the remaining digits encode the product identifiers. The final digit is the modulo-10 check digit.

Encoding: EAN-14 numbers are commonly encoded in ITF-14 for outer cartons and in GS1-128 barcodes, where the GTIN-14 value can be carried with application identifier 01. ITF-14 is a linear barcode optimized for carton-level packaging.

Usage: In retail and logistics, EAN-14 supports carton-level barcoding used on shipments, pallets, and other packaging units, alongside item-level GTINs. It helps automate receiving, inventory management, and shipping processes.

See also: GTIN, UPC, EAN, GS1, ITF-14, GS1-128.

---