EAN-13 Specifications

The following provides a guideline for the EAN-13 Specifications and size you should print the barcode on your product. This is very important if you require barcode verification. It is also a useful guide for ensuring that your barcode scans correctly. If at all possible, you should keep your barcode size within these standards. If you go outside these standards, your barcodes might be accepted by some retailers and rejected by others.

 

Magnification

The magnification range specified for an EAN-13 Bar Code Symbol being scanned at the retail point of sale is 80% – 200% (X-dimension 0.26mm-0.66mm).

A minimum allowable magnification of 75% (X-dimension 0.25mm) applies only to on-demand (e.g., thermal) print processes. In this case, the bar height should never be truncated below the minimum required Height for an 80% magnification barcode symbol.

Where an item may also be scanned in a General Distribution Scanning environment (automated scanning), the allowable magnification range is 150% to 200% (X-dimension 0.50mm – 0.66mm).

 

Human Readable Interpretation

The Human Readable Interpretation should be printed beneath the bar code symbol.

The recommended typeface for the Human Readable Interpretation is OCR-B at the Height of 2.75mm at the nominal size (100% magnification, X-dimension 0.33mm). This typeface is a recommendation only, and alternative type fonts and character sizes are acceptable provided the digits are legible.

Dimensions (All measurements in millimeters)

Magnification X-dimension Width Bar height Left Quiet Zone Right Quiet Zone
0.80 0.26 25.08 18.28 2.90 1.85
0.85 0.28 26.65 19.42 3.09 1.96
0.90 0.30 28.22 20.57 3.27 2.08
0.95 0.31 29.78 21.71 3.45 2.19
1.00 0.33 31.35 22.85 3.63 2.31
1.05 0.35 32.92 23.99 3.81 2.43
1.10 0.36 34.49 25.14 3.99 2.54
1.15 0.38 36.05 26.28 4.17 2.66
1.20 0.40 37.62 27.42 4.36 2.77
1.25 0.41 39.19 28.56 4.54 2.89
1.30 0.43 40.76 29.71 4.72 3.00
1.35 0.45 42.32 30.85 4.90 3.12
1.40 0.46 43.89 31.99 5.08 3.23
1.45 0.48 45.46 33.13 5.26 3.35
1.50 0.50 47.03 34.28 5.45 3.47
1.55 0.51 48.59 35.42 5.63 3.58
1.60 0.53 50.16 36.56 5.81 3.70
1.65 0.54 51.73 37.70 5.99 3.81
1.70 0.56 53.30 38.85 6.17 3.93
1.75 0.58 54.86 39.99 6.35 4.04
1.80 0.59 56.43 41.13 6.53 4.16
1.85 0.61 58.00 42.27 6.72 4.27
1.90 0.63 59.57 43.42 6.90 4.39
1.95 0.64 61.13 44.56 7.08 4.50
2.00 0.66 62.70 45.70 7.26 4.62

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Terms:

– Bar Width = width of barcode symbol excluding Quiet Zones

– Bar Height = height of bar excluding guard bar patterns

– Quiet Zone = Area of white space on either side of the bars

It is a good idea to allow for more quiet zone space than is strictly required in case of ink spread or printing inaccuracies

 

If you are unclear on any of our terms used here and they are not in our glossary, feel free to talk to us.

If you need to arrange barcode verification, this can be purchased here.

 

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