Barcode Country Codes
The first digits of a barcode do not tell you where a product was made. They show which numbering organisation issued the number, and nothing more.
A barcode beginning with 69 was issued in China. The product carrying it might have been made in China, Vietnam, or Vermont. A company anywhere in the world can hold a number issued anywhere else, and most do.
If you’re trying to find out where something was manufactured, the barcode can’t tell you. The packaging usually can.
What the first digits actually mean
Every retail barcode number begins with a prefix assigned to a national numbering organisation. That organisation issues blocks of numbers to companies that apply to it.
So the prefix records where the number came from, not where the product came from, where the company is based, or where it’s sold.
A company registers wherever is convenient, and keeps its numbers when it moves, changes manufacturer or opens in a new market. Reissuing every barcode each time a supplier changes would make the system useless.
Do you need a barcode with your own country’s prefix?
No. Barcode numbers are designed for international use, and a scanner reads the number, not its nationality. A number issued in one country works in every other.
A small number of retailers impose additional requirements, and those are listed on our barcode acceptance page. None of them relates to which prefix your number starts with.
Where the myth came from
The belief that barcodes reveal the country of origin has circulated via email and social media for decades, often accompanied by advice to boycott goods from a particular country.
Snopes has a detailed debunking that covers the claim’s origins and why it doesn’t hold up.
The simplest test: a barcode number belongs to a company, and companies manufacture in more than one country. Nothing in the number changes when production moves.
Showing where your product is made
If country of origin matters to your customers, say so on the pack.
Print “Made in [country]” or “Product of [country]” where people will see it. Some manufacturers place it directly above the barcode, which is a sensible spot as it’s where people look when they’re wondering.
Be aware that origin claims are regulated advertising claims in most markets, and you need to be able to support them if challenged. The rules differ by country: the FTC in the United States, the Competition Bureau in Canada, the ACCC in Australia, the Commerce Commission in New Zealand, and national trading standards or consumer protection authorities elsewhere. Check what qualifies where you’re selling before you print it.
Where our numbers come from
Our barcode numbers begin with 06 or 07, which means they were originally issued in the United States.
That has no bearing on where you’re based or where you sell. We supply these numbers to customers in more than 120 countries, and they’re scanned at retailers worldwide without difficulty.
Country code prefix list
These are the prefixes assigned to numbering organisations worldwide.
| 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 | Moldova |
| 485 | Armenia |
| 486 | Georgia |
| 487 | Kazakhstan |
| 488 | Tajikistan |
| 489 | Hong Kong |
| 49 | Japan |
| 50 | United Kingdom |
| 520, 521 | Greece |
| 528 | Lebanon |
| 529 | Cyprus |
| 530 | Albania |
| 531 | North 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 |
| 605 | Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| 608 | Bahrain |
| 609 | Mauritius |
| 611 | Morocco |
| 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 |
| 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 | Switzerland & 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 |
Three entries worth knowing about:
- 20–29 — reserved for in-store use. Supermarkets use these for items priced by weight, such as deli counter labels. They’re not issued to companies and are meaningless outside the shop that printed them.
- 977 — serial publications, encoded from an ISSN. See magazine barcodes.
- 978–979 — books, encoded from an ISBN. See book barcodes.
Frequently asked questions
Do barcode numbers show where a product was made? No. They show which numbering organisation issued the number. A product can be made anywhere regardless of its barcode prefix.
What does a barcode starting with 69 mean? The number was issued in China. It says nothing about where the product was manufactured or where the company is based.
What is the barcode country code for my country? The list above gives every assigned prefix. But a product from any country can carry any prefix, and most companies use numbers issued elsewhere.
Can I choose which country prefix my barcode has? Not usually, and it makes no practical difference. Retailers scan the number; they don’t inspect its prefix.
What do barcodes starting with 20 to 29 mean? They’re for in-store use, typically for items that are weighed and labelled in-store. They aren’t registered to any company and mean nothing outside that store.
Will a US-issued barcode work in my country? Yes. Barcode numbers are international, and the prefix has no effect on whether a number scans.
Our EAN and UPC barcodes work in any country worldwide. See barcode packages and prices.