UPC (Universal Product Code)
The 12-digit barcode standard used across North American retail and marketplaces; a 12-digit form of GTIN.
A UPC (Universal Product Code) is the 12-digit barcode used to identify products at retail checkout and throughout the supply chain, primarily in the United States and Canada. In GS1 terms a UPC is a GTIN-12 — a specific 12-digit form of the Global Trade Item Number.
How a UPC is structured
A standard UPC-A has 12 digits: a GS1 company prefix, an item reference number, and a single check digit calculated from the others to catch scanning errors. The familiar striped barcode simply encodes those 12 digits for scanners.
UPC vs EAN vs GTIN
- UPC — 12 digits (GTIN-12), dominant in North America.
- EAN — 13 digits (GTIN-13), dominant in Europe and most of the world.
- GTIN — the umbrella standard that both belong to.
UPC on Shopify and marketplaces
Shopify stores the UPC in the "Barcode (ISBN, UPC, GTIN, etc.)" field on each variant. Marketplaces and Google Shopping use it to match and rank your listing. A PIM like Apimio validates UPC check digits, prevents duplicates, and syncs the correct barcode to every connected store and feed.