European Article Number facts for kids

Have you ever noticed those lines and numbers on almost everything you buy? That's usually a European Article Number (EAN)! It's like a special code that helps identify products. Think of it as a unique ID card for items in a store.

EANs are a type of Global Trade Item Number. They come in two main lengths: 8 digits (called EAN-8) or 13 digits (called EAN-13). Most of the time, you'll see these numbers printed as a barcode on product packaging.

Special scanners can read these barcodes very quickly. When a scanner reads an EAN, it looks up information about that product, like its price. This helps stores ring up your items fast when you check out! While EANs are often shown as barcodes, they can also be used with other machine-readable codes.

What is an EAN-13 Barcode?

The most common EAN has 13 digits. This longer code is called EAN-13. It helps make sure each product has its own special number.

An EAN-13 number is made up of different parts:

• Country Code: The first 2 or 3 digits show where the product's number was given out. This isn't always the country where the product was made.
• Company Code: The next few digits identify the company that makes the product.
• Product Code: These digits are unique to the specific item from that company.
• Checksum Digit: The very last digit is a special number used to check if the barcode was scanned correctly. It helps prevent mistakes!

What is an EAN-8 Barcode?

Sometimes, a product package is too small for a full 13-digit EAN. For these smaller items, there's a shorter version called EAN-8. It has only 8 digits.

An EAN-8 number includes:

• Country Code: The first 2 or 3 digits, similar to EAN-13.
• Product Code: The next 4 or 5 digits identify the specific item.
• Checksum Digit: The last digit, which helps check for errors.

Special organizations are in charge of giving out both EAN-8 and EAN-13 numbers. Some stores, like Aldi, use EAN-8 codes that start with the digit '2' for their own products. These codes are "free use" for internal store items. For example, Aldi uses EAN-8 codes starting with 290 or 221 for their own brands. These are special country codes meant for internal use within the store.

Images for kids

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  EAN-13 (GTIN-13) number encoded in EAN-13 barcode symbol. The first digit is outside the symbol.

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  Example of an EAN-8 barcode.

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  Encoding L-digits

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  Encoding G-digits

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  Encoding R-digits

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  EAN-13 barcode. Green bars show how digits are encoded.

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  Scanning part of an EAN-13 barcode.

See also

In Spanish: European Article Number para niños