Code Prefixes

The first digits of a barcode do not always indicate something specific. In the case of an EAN-13 barcode, if the first digit is 2, then it is a special-use code, which differs from country to country. For example, in Greece, codes in the format 280xxxxxxxxx are used by the National Organization for Medicines (EOF) on pharmaceutical authenticity labels.

Codes in the format 25xxxxxxxxxx 26xxxxxxxxxx 27xxxxxxxxxx and 29xxxxxxxxxx are used to encode packaged consumer product units that do not all have the same weight and are weighed by the producer.

EAN-13 codes beginning with 20, 21 and, less commonly, 02, are used for in-store coding of weighed products.

EAN-13 codes beginning with 22 to 24 and, less commonly, 04, are used for in-store coding of non-weighed products.

The above coding of EAN-13 numbers based on their use in Greece, as well as the entire company coding system with the 520 prefix, is the work of 520 Barcode Hellas.

In conclusion, the first two or three digits of an EAN-13 code may indicate either the use of the code or who issued the code. In other codes, such as UPC, the first two digits identify only the use. In codes such as ITF-14, the first two or three digits do not identify anything.

The table below shows the use or the country in which EAN-13 codes or twelve-digit UPC codes have been issued.