Barcodes Explained: Which Type Should You Use?

Barcodes are not all the same. The right one depends on what you are labelling and where it will be scanned.

Retail products

Use EAN-13 (most of the world) or UPC-A (North America) for items sold in shops. EAN-8 and UPC-E are compact versions for small packages.

Logistics and internal use

Code 128 packs letters and numbers densely and is ideal for shipping labels and internal tracking. ITF-14 is built for cartons and outer cases.

Tiny spaces and 2D

When space is tight or you need to store more data, Data Matrix and QR codes pack a lot into a small square — common on electronics and healthcare items.

Rule of thumb

Match the symbology to the scanner that will read it. Retail POS expects EAN/UPC; warehouses and apps are happy with Code 128, Data Matrix or QR.