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Free EAN-13 Barcode Generator — International Retail Standard
EAN-13 (European Article Number) is the international standard barcode format used on retail products sold outside North America — and increasingly worldwide including on Amazon global marketplaces. A 13-digit format, it is the international counterpart to the 12-digit UPC-A and is readable by the same scanners. BatchPrintGTIN generates EAN-13 barcode images free, with instant PNG and SVG download and no account required.
What is an EAN-13 Barcode?
An EAN-13 barcode encodes a 13-digit GTIN-13 number. The first two or three digits indicate the GS1 Member Organisation country prefix (for example, 50 for the UK, 30–37 for France, 40–44 for Germany, 45 or 49 for Japan, 00–09 for the USA and Canada). The middle digits are the company prefix and item reference assigned by the brand. The final digit is a check digit calculated from the preceding 12 digits.
Importantly, a UPC-A number is a valid EAN-13 number — simply prepend a zero to any 12-digit UPC-A to create its 13-digit EAN-13 equivalent. Both encode the same product identity and are interchangeable in most global retail systems.
Where EAN-13 is Required
EAN-13 is required or strongly preferred in several contexts:
- European and UK retail — all grocery, pharmacy, and mass merchandise retailers in Europe require EAN-13 or EAN-8 on products
- Amazon global marketplaces — Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.de, Amazon.fr, Amazon.co.jp and other non-US marketplaces require EAN-13 for most product categories
- Australian and New Zealand retail — major supermarket chains require EAN-13
- Canadian retail — many Canadian retailers accept both UPC-A and EAN-13
- Google Merchant Center international feeds — EAN-13 is the preferred GTIN format for product feeds targeting non-US markets
EAN-13 vs UPC-A — Key Differences
EAN-13 has 13 digits; UPC-A has 12. Every UPC-A number is a valid EAN-13 (add a leading zero). EAN-13 is the global standard; UPC-A is primarily North American. Modern retail scanners in all countries read both formats. If you are only selling in the USA and Canada, UPC-A is sufficient. If you sell internationally or on non-US Amazon marketplaces, use EAN-13 or obtain a 13-digit GTIN from GS1. See the full EAN vs UPC comparison.
Obtaining EAN-13 Numbers
EAN-13 numbers for retail use must be obtained from a GS1 Member Organisation in your country. In the USA, this is GS1 US; in Canada, GS1 Canada; in the UK, GS1 UK. GS1 issues a Company Prefix that forms the first digits of your EAN-13 numbers, and you assign item reference numbers for each product. The generator then creates the barcode image from the complete 13-digit number.
For internal use only — not for retail scanning — you can use any 13-digit number. GS1 reserves the prefix range 200–299 for internal use, meaning no registered retail product will ever use a number starting with 2.
Generating an EAN-13 Barcode
Open the BatchPrintGTIN generator, select the Barcode tab, and choose EAN-13 as the format. Enter your 12-digit number (the generator calculates and appends the check digit) or your full 13-digit number including the check digit. The barcode renders in real time. Adjust width, height, and display options, then download as PNG or SVG.
EAN-8 for Small Packaging
For very small product packaging where a full EAN-13 barcode does not fit, EAN-8 is an eight-digit compressed format. EAN-8 numbers are issued separately by GS1 and are not simply a shortened version of your EAN-13. Contact your local GS1 Member Organisation to obtain EAN-8 numbers for products that require them. BatchPrintGTIN supports EAN-8 generation in addition to EAN-13.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I convert my UPC-A to EAN-13?
Yes — simply prepend a zero to your 12-digit UPC-A number to create the equivalent 13-digit EAN-13. For example, UPC-A 012345678905 becomes EAN-13 0012345678905. The check digit remains valid.
Do I need a separate GS1 registration for EAN-13?
If you already have a GS1 Company Prefix, your prefix works for both UPC-A and EAN-13. The difference is simply the number of digits in the full GTIN. Contact your local GS1 Member Organisation to confirm the prefix format for your region.
Generate an EAN-13 Barcode Free