Bar coding

Bar coding technology

The bar coding is an automated identification and data collection technology, which is based on the presentation of information according to certain rules.

The bar coding technology based on the use of codes of EAN (European Article Numbering) system. The EAN code is a standard bar code of the goods distributed by the retail business.

The EAN-13 item number has the following structure:

• the first 3 digits is a prefix or national code of the GS1 member organisation (for GS1 Bel - 481);

• the next 6 digits is a company reference number within the national organisation;

• the next group of digits is a serial number of the product within the company;

• the last 13-th digit is a checksum. It is calculated fr om the previous twelve digits.

There is a misperception that the country of origin of the goods can be defined by the first digits of the bar code. It is wrong.

The bar code does not tell us about the country of origin of the goods. The prefix stands for the National organisation in which the company is registered. The company is entitled to independently sel ect a National organisation to join. Moreover, it can join several National organisations at once.

The EAN symbols are scanned by the omnidirectional scanners used by the retail business. This means that an EAN symbol has a fixed ratio between the height and width of the symbol. As soon as one indicator is changed the other one shall be changed proportionally. Based on this strict ratio the EAN symbols have nominal height and width values. The acceptable tolerance range is fr om 80% to 200% of the nominal symbol value. The value of the symbol change is often called as the “rate of increase”.

The role of digits, placed under the bar code and called “visual presentation” is also important because if the bar code is damaged or of poor quality and cannot be scanned then these digits will be used for reading.

There is a misperception that only a manufacturer of the goods can put a bar code on the packaging. It is not true! According to the GS1 regulations the priority right of the goods bar coding belongs to the owner of the trade mark (brand) or specification for the goods manufacture regardless of wh ere and by whom it was produced.
    If for some reason the owner of the trademark did not put the bar code then the manufacturer can do it. If the manufacturer also did not put a bar code then it should be done by the supplier (importer).