What is the use of the numbers or individual digits in the bar code?
The GTIN is a reference number only. It does not contain any information about the product. Instead, the entire number is used for communication purposes in the distribution cycle and no part of the number has any meaning on its own. The Company Prefix that may vary between six and ten digits, depending on the company’s needs. The first two or three digits indicate the organization allocating the company number that follows. Moreover, the company prefix not always identifies the manufacturer, but the company that assigned the number (typically the brand owner). In Hong Kong, the first three digits, 489, is the GS1 Prefix representing Hong Kong. This differs locally issued bar codes from those issued in other countries.
Related Questions
- An individual has religious or cultural objections to certain numbers or digits in the original number; (See "Can I request a new SSN because I object to digits used?")
- Why do all numbers have to dial the area code + the seven digit number (10 digits) for overlays?
- What is the use of the numbers or individual digits in the bar code?
