U.P.C. Barcodes Do Not Reveal Where Products Are Manufactured

In response to misinformation being circulated via social media platforms globally, GS1 US, the not-for-profit information standards organization and administrator of the Universal Product Code (U.P.C.), issued a formal statement to confirm that the product identification numbers within a U.P.C. barcode (or EAN for Europe) on product packaging do not indicate a product's country of origin.

U.P.C. barcodes contain a GS1 Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), a sequence of numbers located under the barcode symbol that uniquely identifies a product in the supply chain, including at point of sale. To create GTINs, brands must first secure a GS1 Company Prefix that globally identifies their company in the supply chain and links their products to their brand.

An authentic GS1 Company Prefix, validated by many retailers, is acquired through a license agreement with GS1 US or any other GS1 member organization around the globe. Once the GS1 Company Prefix is secured, brands create their own GTINs, often via GS1 US Data Hub, by combining their GS1 Company Prefix with a unique product number that they assign. The GS1 Company Prefix reflects the country from which a Prefix was licensed—often, but not always, reflecting the location of the company headquarters.