What is the full form of EAN and GTIN?

EAN stands for European Article Number, the original name of the 13-digit barcode standard now called GTIN-13. GTIN stands for Global Trade Item Number, the family of product identification numbers managed by GS1, with 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits. In chemistry, EAN also means effective atomic number, which is unrelated to barcodes.

What is the difference between EAN and GTIN?

GTIN is the general term for GS1's product identification numbers. EAN-13 is one type of GTIN: the 13-digit number used on most retail products outside North America, including India. Every EAN-13 is a GTIN, but a GTIN can also be 8, 12 or 14 digits long, such as a UPC or a carton-level GTIN-14.

What is the difference between EAN and UPC?

Both are GTINs printed as barcodes. UPC-A carries a 12-digit GTIN and is used mainly in North America, where GS1 US issues it. EAN-13 carries a 13-digit GTIN and is used in most other countries; in India, GS1 India issues EAN-13 numbers starting with 890. Scanners read both, and Amazon.in's seller blog (August 2025) lists either as a product ID.

What is the difference between GTIN and SKU?

A GTIN is a global number, issued through GS1, that identifies a product variant everywhere it is sold. A SKU is your own internal code for the same variant, made up by your team and used in your systems. One product variant usually has one GTIN and one SKU, and the warehouse links the two on the item record.

Is GTIN the same as GSTIN?

No. GTIN, Global Trade Item Number, identifies a product and is printed in its barcode. GSTIN, Goods and Services Tax Identification Number, identifies a GST-registered business and appears on its invoices and returns. The two are often confused because the names look alike, but a GTIN comes from GS1 and a GSTIN from GST registration.

How do I get an EAN or GTIN for my product in India?

Register with GS1 India, which says it is the only body authorised to issue GTINs beginning with 890 in India. You fill in its registration form with company documents, choose how many barcodes you need and pay the fees. You then receive a GS1 Company Prefix and a DataKart login, which you use to create a GTIN for each product variant.

Do I need an EAN or GTIN to sell on Amazon.in or Flipkart, and when does a GTIN exemption apply?

On Amazon.in, a new product that isn't already in the catalogue needs a product ID such as a UPC or EAN; a product already listed is matched to its ASIN. Amazon.in's seller blog (August 2025) says brand owners whose products have no barcodes may apply for a GTIN exemption in Seller Central. Flipkart sets its own rules, so check its seller portal.

How is the EAN-13 check digit calculated?

Take the first 12 digits and multiply them by 1 and 3 alternately, starting with 1 on the left. Add the results, then find the number that brings the total up to the next multiple of 10. Example: for 890000012345, the weighted sum is 68, so the check digit is 2 and the full EAN-13 is 8900000123452.

What are EAN and GTIN?

A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the number in a product's barcode that identifies one trade item: one product in one size, colour and pack. The EAN-13 is the 13-digit GTIN on most retail products sold in India. In a warehouse, the GTIN is scanned to confirm the right item at receiving, picking, packing and returns.

Three other senses of these terms, in short:

In retail and marketplaces, a GTIN is also what you register with GS1 and enter when you list a product.
GTIN is not GSTIN, which is your GST registration number.
In chemistry, EAN means effective atomic number. This page is about product barcodes.

How EAN and GTIN work in an Indian D2C or omnichannel warehouse

The GTIN family

Type	Digits	Where it’s used
GTIN-8 (EAN-8)	8	Very small packs, such as cosmetics or chocolates
GTIN-12 (UPC-A)	12	Mainly North America; issued by GS1 US
GTIN-13 (EAN-13)	13	Most retail products; GS1 India’s numbers start with 890
GTIN-14	14	Cases, cartons and other groupings; not for retail sale

What’s in an EAN-13. GS1 India describes four parts: the country code (890 for India), the company code, the item reference and a check digit. The country code and company code together form the GS1 Company Prefix that a brand gets when it registers.

Example: working out the check digit. Take the first 12 digits 8 9 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 4 5. This is an illustrative number, not a real product.

Multiply the digits by 1 and 3 alternately, from the left: 8×1, 9×3, 0×1, 0×3, 0×1, 0×3, 0×1, 1×3, 2×1, 3×3, 4×1, 5×3.
Add them up: 8 + 27 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 0 + 3 + 2 + 9 + 4 + 15 = 68.
The check digit is what brings the sum up to the next multiple of 10: 70 − 68 = 2.
The full EAN-13 is 8900000123452.

A scanner repeats this calculation, so a misread or mistyped digit is caught.

How the warehouse uses the GTIN

Receiving: scan each item or carton at the GRN to confirm it matches the purchase order.
Picking and packing: scan the item at pick and pack, so a look-alike variant is caught before it ships.
Returns: scan the returned item to confirm it is the product that was sold.
Cartons: use a GTIN-14 on cases, so a whole carton can be received with one scan.
No barcode on the item: print an internal label with your own code. Don’t make up a GTIN.

GTIN vs other identifiers

Identifier	What it identifies	Who issues it
GTIN / EAN	A trade item: one product variant	GS1, through GS1 India for 890 numbers
SKU	Your own internal code for a product variant	The brand
ASIN / FSN	A product listing on Amazon or Flipkart	The marketplace
HSN code	The product category for GST rates	The GST law (tariff classification)
GSTIN	A GST-registered business	The GST system
Serial number	One individual unit	The maker or the brand

Common mistakes

Buying barcodes from resellers. GS1 India says only it can issue GTINs beginning with 890 to organisations in India, and Amazon.in’s seller blog (11 August 2025) says barcodes bought from resellers often lead to listing rejection.
One GTIN on several sizes or colours. Each variant needs its own GTIN, or scans and listings mix them up.
Using the SKU as the barcode number on marketplace listings that ask for a GTIN.
Reusing a GTIN for a changed product, such as a new pack size.

Can I use cheaper barcodes bought from a reseller instead of GS1 India barcodes? Not safely. GS1 India says only it can issue GTINs beginning with 890 to organisations in India. Amazon.in’s seller blog (11 August 2025) says barcodes from resellers or third-party websites often lead to listing rejection, and that Amazon checks barcode ownership against the GS1 database. A reseller’s number may also be registered to another company.

Barcode coverage = active SKUs with a valid GTIN ÷ active SKUs × 100. Example: 188 of 200 = 94%.
Scan rate at packing = items scanned ÷ items packed × 100. Example: 2,350 of 2,400 = about 98%.
Unreadable barcodes at GRN = units with a damaged or missing barcode ÷ units received × 100. Example: 12 of 3,000 = 0.4%.

EAN and GTIN in the Indian context

Who issues them. GS1 India’s guide to GTINs (20 November 2025) says GTINs in India begin with 890, the country code GS1 assigned to GS1 India, and that only GS1 India is authorised to issue these GTINs to organisations in India.
How to get one. GS1 India’s registration steps: fill in the registration form with your company documents, choose the number of barcodes and pay the fee; you then receive your GS1 Company Prefix and DataKart login to create GTINs.
Amazon.in. Amazon.in’s seller blog (11 August 2025) says a new product needs a product ID such as a UPC or EAN to create a listing, that GS1 India is the only authorised body for issuing UPCs and EANs Amazon accepts, and that eligible brand owners can apply for a GTIN exemption in Seller Central.
Flipkart and other marketplaces set their own listing requirements. Check each seller portal before you list.

How Fretron CommerceOS fits

Fretron CommerceOS is order, warehouse and shipping software for Indian D2C, retail and omnichannel consumer brands. It is a separate product from Fretron’s freight TMS.

Questions and answers

What is the full form of EAN and GTIN?: EAN stands for European Article Number, the original name of the 13-digit barcode standard now called GTIN-13. GTIN stands for Global Trade Item Number, the family of product identification numbers managed by GS1, with 8, 12, 13 or 14 digits. In chemistry, EAN also means effective atomic number, which is unrelated to barcodes.
What is the difference between EAN and GTIN?: GTIN is the general term for GS1's product identification numbers. EAN-13 is one type of GTIN: the 13-digit number used on most retail products outside North America, including India. Every EAN-13 is a GTIN, but a GTIN can also be 8, 12 or 14 digits long, such as a UPC or a carton-level GTIN-14.
What is the difference between EAN and UPC?: Both are GTINs printed as barcodes. UPC-A carries a 12-digit GTIN and is used mainly in North America, where GS1 US issues it. EAN-13 carries a 13-digit GTIN and is used in most other countries; in India, GS1 India issues EAN-13 numbers starting with 890. Scanners read both, and Amazon.in's seller blog (August 2025) lists either as a product ID.
What is the difference between GTIN and SKU?: A GTIN is a global number, issued through GS1, that identifies a product variant everywhere it is sold. A SKU is your own internal code for the same variant, made up by your team and used in your systems. One product variant usually has one GTIN and one SKU, and the warehouse links the two on the item record.
Is GTIN the same as GSTIN?: No. GTIN, Global Trade Item Number, identifies a product and is printed in its barcode. GSTIN, Goods and Services Tax Identification Number, identifies a GST-registered business and appears on its invoices and returns. The two are often confused because the names look alike, but a GTIN comes from GS1 and a GSTIN from GST registration.
How do I get an EAN or GTIN for my product in India?: Register with GS1 India, which says it is the only body authorised to issue GTINs beginning with 890 in India. You fill in its registration form with company documents, choose how many barcodes you need and pay the fees. You then receive a GS1 Company Prefix and a DataKart login, which you use to create a GTIN for each product variant.
Do I need an EAN or GTIN to sell on Amazon.in or Flipkart, and when does a GTIN exemption apply?: On Amazon.in, a new product that isn't already in the catalogue needs a product ID such as a UPC or EAN; a product already listed is matched to its ASIN. Amazon.in's seller blog (August 2025) says brand owners whose products have no barcodes may apply for a GTIN exemption in Seller Central. Flipkart sets its own rules, so check its seller portal.
How is the EAN-13 check digit calculated?: Take the first 12 digits and multiply them by 1 and 3 alternately, starting with 1 on the left. Add the results, then find the number that brings the total up to the next multiple of 10. Example: for 890000012345, the weighted sum is 68, so the check digit is 2 and the full EAN-13 is 8900000123452.

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Last reviewed: 7 November 2026 by Fretron.

Sources

What is a GTIN? The complete guide to Global Product Identification. GS1 India, 20 November 2025. https://www.gs1india.org/blog/what-is-gtin-complete-guide-to-global-product-identification (accessed 5 Nov 2026).
How to Get an Amazon Product ID for Selling. Amazon.in Seller Blog, 11 August 2025. https://sell.amazon.in/seller-blog/how-to-get-a-product-id-for-selling-on-amazon (accessed 5 Nov 2026).