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Barcode Country Code Prefix

What is this, and what does it mean?

Barcode numbers beginning with specifically assigned country codes are the barcode numbers that come directly from GS1 in a specific country or issued by an official standards agency in that country.

In countries where GS1 exists, the ONLY legal way to get to start with these assigned country codes is to join GS1 – this means completing their membership forms and paying a joining fee and annual membership fees to GS1 – which is VERY expensive (GS1 only license the numbers to you – so you have to pay their annual fees every year for the rest of your product life). Please read this article by Peter Strong (head of the Council of Small Business of Australia) on ‘shadow regulators.’ These are not for profit organisations that have monopolistic control over the business community.

In countries where there is a non-GS1 Standards Body, the country-specific numbers can be obtained from that body or the International Barcodes Network agency in that country.

Many people mistakenly believe that the first few digits of the barcode numbers show the product’s country of origin. However, the barcode number says NOTHING accurate about the country of origin of the product. The only thing that these first few digits show is the country of origin of the barcode number itself. So, in reality, products from any specific country can have any barcode number on them.

If you want to demonstrate that your product is made in your own country, e.g., New Zealand, then the best way to do this is to print “Made in New Zealand” or something similar on the product. This is an advertising claim and must be provable if challenged. (Some manufacturers also print “Made in New Zealand” directly above the barcode to help customers).

The myth of the barcode number showing the country of origin of the product is an old myth that has been thoroughly debunked. Please see this Snopes article on the origins of this myth as well as a debunking of it.

All barcodes and barcode systems are designed for international use, so there are virtually no restrictions based on the country of origin worldwide. Any specific examples of stores placing any restrictions on barcodes can be seen here.

We are a member of an international network of barcode sellers with customers in more than 120 countries using our barcodes without any problems.

Below is a list of country codes from GS1 organisations and other Standards Agencies around the world:

 

0 USA / Canada
1 USA
30–37 France & Monaco
380 Bulgaria
383 Slovenia
385 Croatia
387 Bosnia & Herzegovina
389 Montenegro
390 Kosovo
40–44 Germany
45 Japan
46 Russia
470 Kyrgyzstan
471 Taiwan
474 Estonia
475 Latvia
476 Azerbaijan
477 Lithuania
478 Uzbekistan
479 Sri Lanka
480 Philippines
481 Belarus
482 Ukraine
483 Turkmenistan
484 Moldava
485 Armenia
486 Georgia
487 Kazakhstan
488 Tajikaistan
489 Hong Kong
49 Japan
50 United Kingdom
520, 521 Greece
528 Lebanon
529 Cyprus
530 Albania
531 Macedonia
535 Malta
539 Ireland
54 Belgium & Luxembourg
560 Portugal
569 Iceland
570 Denmark
590 Poland
594 Romania
599 Hungary
600–601 South Africa
602 Benin
603 Ghana
604 Senegal
608 Bahrain
609 Mauritius
611 Marocco
613 Algeria
615 Nigeria
616 Kenya
618 Côte d’Ivoire
619 Tunisia
620 Tanzania
621 Syria
622 Egypt
623 Brunei
624 Libya
625 Jordan
626 Iran
627 Kuwait
628 Saudi-Arabia
629 United Arab Emirates
64 Finland
660 Benin – issued by ANM Benin
69 China
70 Norway
729 Israel
73 Sweden
740 Guatemala
741 El Salvador
742 Honduras
743 Nicaragua
744 Costa Rica
745 Panama
746 Dominican Republic
750 Mexico
754–755 Canada
759 Venezuela
760–769 Schwitzerland & Liechtenstein
770-771 Colombia
773 Uruguay
775 Peru
777 Bolivia
779 Argentina
780 Chile
784 Paraguay
786 Ecuador
789-790 Brazil
800–839 Italy
840–849 Spain
850 Cuba
858 Slovakia
859 Czech Republic
860 Serbia
865 Mongolia
867 North Korea
868–869 Turkey
87 Netherlands
880 South Korea
885 Thailand
888 Singapore
890 India
893 Vietnam
896 Pakistan
899 Indonesia
90–91 Austria
93 Australia
94 New Zealand
955 Malaysia
958 Macau
96 GS1 Global Office: GTIN-8 allocations
977 Serial Publications (ISSN)
978–979 Bookland (ISBN)
980 Return Coupons (refund receipts)
981–983 Common Currency Coupons
990–999 Coupon Codes