1. What Is GS1 and Why Does It Matter?
GS1 (Global Standards One) is the non-profit international standards organization responsible for allocating unique company identification numbers across 115+ countries. GS1 standards enable over 2 million companies worldwide to scan 10 billion barcodes daily at supermarket checkouts, distribution centers, and hospitals.
๐ก๏ธ Critical Compliance Rule: Official Identifiers vs Barcode Images
MakeMyBarcode is a free tool that generates standard barcode image files. MakeMyBarcode does not assign or license official GTIN numbers.
If you are launching physical products in major commercial retail stores (Amazon, Walmart, Target, Home Depot, Sephora), you must license your official Company Prefix directly from GS1 to ensure your brand name is legally registered in the GS1 GEPIR database.
2. How to Get Official Retail Barcodes: 3 Steps
- Register with GS1: Visit your regional GS1 member website (such as GS1 US or GS1 UK) and license a Company Prefix (or single GS1 US GTIN).
- Assign Product GTINs: Allocate unique item numbers for each product SKU, variant, color, and size.
- Generate Vector Barcode Images: Input your assigned numbers into MakeMyBarcode to download high-resolution vector SVG or 300 DPI PNG barcode graphics for your packaging die-lines.
Generate GS1-Compliant Barcodes
Input your licensed GTINs to create production-ready vector barcodes.