Retail products use UPC (12-digit) or EAN (13-digit) barcodes. Cases and multipacks use ITF-14. Pallets use SSCC-18. Marketing and packaging often use QR codes, while logistics and internal labels use Code 128. You choose the barcode type based on what you are labeling.
Why There Are So Many Barcode Types
Barcodes are not one-size-fits-all. A code printed on a corrugated shipping box has very different needs from a tiny code on a cosmetics tube or a QR code on a poster. Over the years, different symbologies were developed to handle retail checkout, warehouse logistics, marketing, and internal tracking. Knowing which is which helps you order the right product the first time.
Retail Barcodes: UPC & EAN
These are the codes scanned at checkout and required by marketplaces. UPC is the 12-digit standard in the US and Canada; EAN is the 13-digit global standard. Each one identifies a single retail product, and they are what the vast majority of online sellers need.
If you are selling individual products on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart, or Shopify, a UPC or EAN is almost certainly the code you are looking for.
Logistics Barcodes: ITF-14 & SSCC-18
ITF-14 identifies a case or multipack — a fixed quantity of inner units — and is built directly from the product’s base barcode. It is printed on cartons and is robust enough to scan reliably on rough cardboard. SSCC-18 is a serial code for an entire pallet or shipping unit, used to track whole shipments through the supply chain.
These come into play when you start selling wholesale, shipping in bulk, or supplying retailers and 3PL warehouses that require carton and pallet labeling.
2D and Versatile Codes: QR & Code 128
QR codes are two-dimensional and can store URLs and other data, which makes them ideal for marketing, packaging inserts, menus, and product authentication. Code 128 is a flexible linear barcode that can encode letters as well as numbers, so it is widely used for internal labels, shipping, and inventory systems.
Which Barcode Do You Need?
| You’re labeling… | Use this |
|---|---|
| A retail product | UPC or EAN |
| A case / multipack | ITF-14 |
| A pallet / shipment | SSCC-18 |
| A marketing or packaging link | QR code |
| An internal / shipping label | Code 128 |
Growing From Retail Into Logistics
Most sellers begin with UPC or EAN codes for their individual products. As the business grows into wholesale and bulk shipping, they add ITF-14 for cases and SSCC-18 for pallets. You do not need everything at once — start with what you sell today and add formats as your operation expands. Browse every format in our shop.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 1D and 2D barcodes?
1D (linear) barcodes like UPC and Code 128 store data in the widths of bars. 2D barcodes like QR codes store data in a grid of squares and can hold much more information.
Do I need an ITF-14 if I have a UPC?
Only if you sell by the case. The UPC identifies the individual unit; the ITF-14 identifies a carton containing a set quantity of those units.
Can one scanner read all barcode types?
Modern 2D imaging scanners read most 1D and 2D codes. Older laser scanners read linear codes only, not QR codes.
Need Barcodes for Your Products?
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