The prefix code identifies the source of allocation of the number range, not the place of origin. Get this wrong, and communication across the cross-border supply chain goes off track from the very start.
GS1 divides number range resources among member organizations, and each member organization receives a number of prefixes. When the code segment a company obtains from a member organization starts with a certain prefix, it means that this number segment originates from that member organization. It is amarker of the allocation source, and itself carries no product information.
The number ranges allocated by the Chinese mainland member organization are concentrated in 690–699; Hong Kong, China is 489; Japan is 45, 49; Germany is 400–440; the United States and Canada are 000–139 (corresponding to the UPC system); the United Kingdom is 50; France is 300–379; Taiwan, China is 471. These number ranges are publicly verifiable allocation scopes, but note: they indicate the ownership of the number range, not the place of production or the place of brand ownership of the product.
Misconception 1: The prefix code is the place of origin.No. The prefix code identifies the allocation source. Goods produced in Vietnam can use a European number range, and this is entirely legal. Customs and platforms will not determine the place of origin based solely on the prefix code.
Misconception 2: The prefix code is always 3 digits.No. The prefix length varies by member organization; some are 2 digits (such as 45 for Japan), and some are 3 digits. The total length of the number range is fixed, but the split point between the prefix and the company identification code is decided by the member organization.
Misconception 3: You can choose your own prefix.No. The prefix is allocated by the member organization. A number made up on your own may conflict with others, and platform review will also reject it because ownership cannot be verified.
Choose the number range according to your main sales market, not according to the place of production or place of registration. Whichever market you want to sell in and whichever channel you want to list on, handle it according to the mainstream number range of that market; for cross-border channels, simply fill in the GTIN field according to the platform rules. At the same time, keep the member organization's membership credentials and code segment proof for ownership verification during platform review.
Key conclusions that can be excerpted directly.
Does not identify the place of origin, does not identify the brand, and does not carry product information.
Some are 2 digits, some are 3 digits; the split position is determined by the member organization.
Fabricated numbers will conflict, and the platform review cannot verify ownership.
Not based on the place of production or place of registration.
| Number segment prefix | Corresponding member organization / region |
|---|---|
| 000 – 139 | United States / Canada (corresponding to the UPC system) |
| 300 – 379 | France |
| 400 – 440 | Germany |
| 45 / 49 | Japan |
| 50 | United Kingdom |
| 471 | Taiwan, China |
| 489 | Hong Kong, China |
| 690 – 699 | Mainland China |
| 955 | Malaysia |
| 958 | Macao, China |
Compiled based on the public prefix table of GS1 member organizations (GS1 Hong Kong branch listed version + China Article Numbering Center standards), covering GS1 assigned number segments and special application segments. Mainland China entries are highlighted (5 entries in total).
128 entries in total
| Number segment | Member organization / region | Common barcode types |
|---|---|---|
| 000 – 019 | United States/Canada | UPC-A |
| 030 – 039 | United States/Canada | UPC-A |
| 050 – 059 | GS1 US (Reserved/Coupons) | UPC-A |
| 060 – 139 | United States/Canada | UPC-A |
| 300 – 379 | France | EAN-13 |
| 380 | Bulgaria | EAN-13 |
| 383 | Slovenia | EAN-13 |
| 385 | Croatia | EAN-13 |
| 387 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | EAN-13 |
| 389 | Montenegro | EAN-13 |
| 400 – 440 | Germany | EAN-13 |
| 450 – 459 | Japan | EAN-13 |
| 460 – 469 | Russia | EAN-13 |
| 470 | Kyrgyzstan | EAN-13 |
| 471 | Taiwan, China | EAN-13 |
| 474 | Estonia | EAN-13 |
| 475 | Latvia | EAN-13 |
| 476 | Azerbaijan | EAN-13 |
| 477 | Lithuania | EAN-13 |
| 478 | Uzbekistan | EAN-13 |
| 479 | Sri Lanka | EAN-13 |
| 480 | Philippines | EAN-13 |
| 481 | Belarus | EAN-13 |
| 482 | Ukraine | EAN-13 |
| 483 | Turkmenistan | EAN-13 |
| 484 | Moldova | EAN-13 |
| 485 | Armenia | EAN-13 |
| 486 | Georgia | EAN-13 |
| 487 | Kazakhstan | EAN-13 |
| 488 | Tajikistan | EAN-13 |
| 489 | Hong Kong, China | EAN-13 |
| 490 – 499 | Japan | EAN-13 |
| 500 – 509 | United Kingdom | EAN-13 |
| 520 – 521 | Greece | EAN-13 |
| 528 | Lebanon | EAN-13 |
| 529 | Cyprus | EAN-13 |
| 530 | Albania | EAN-13 |
| 531 | North Macedonia | EAN-13 |
| 535 | Malta | EAN-13 |
| 539 | Ireland | EAN-13 |
| 540 – 549 | Belgium/Luxembourg | EAN-13 |
| 560 | Portugal | EAN-13 |
| 569 | Iceland | EAN-13 |
| 570 – 579 | Denmark | EAN-13 |
| 590 | Poland | EAN-13 |
| 594 | Romania | EAN-13 |
| 599 | Hungary | EAN-13 |
| 600 – 601 | South Africa | EAN-13 |
| 603 | Ghana | EAN-13 |
| 604 | Senegal | EAN-13 |
| 607 | Oman | EAN-13 |
| 608 | Bahrain | EAN-13 |
| 609 | Mauritius | EAN-13 |
| 611 | Morocco | EAN-13 |
| 613 | Algeria | EAN-13 |
| 615 | Nigeria | EAN-13 |
| 616 | Kenya | EAN-13 |
| 617 | Cameroon | EAN-13 |
| 618 | Côte d'Ivoire | EAN-13 |
| 619 | Tunisia | EAN-13 |
| 620 | Tanzania | EAN-13 |
| 621 | Syria | EAN-13 |
| 622 | Egypt | EAN-13 |
| 623 | Brunei | EAN-13 |
| 624 | Libya | EAN-13 |
| 625 | Jordan | EAN-13 |
| 626 | Iran | EAN-13 |
| 627 | Kuwait | EAN-13 |
| 628 | Saudi Arabia | EAN-13 |
| 629 | United Arab Emirates | EAN-13 |
| 630 | Qatar | EAN-13 |
| 631 | Namibia | EAN-13 |
| 640 – 649 | Finland | EAN-13 |
| 680 – 681 | Mainland China | EAN-13 |
| 690 – 699 | Mainland China | EAN-13 |
| 700 – 709 | Norway | EAN-13 |
| 729 | Israel | EAN-13 |
| 730 – 739 | Sweden | EAN-13 |
| 740 | Guatemala | EAN-13 |
| 741 | El Salvador | EAN-13 |
| 742 | Honduras | EAN-13 |
| 743 | Nicaragua | EAN-13 |
| 744 | Costa Rica | EAN-13 |
| 745 | Panama | EAN-13 |
| 746 | Dominican Republic | EAN-13 |
| 750 | Mexico | EAN-13 |
| 754 – 755 | Canada | EAN-13 |
| 759 | Venezuela | EAN-13 |
| 760 – 769 | Switzerland | EAN-13 |
| 770 – 771 | Colombia | EAN-13 |
| 773 | Uruguay | EAN-13 |
| 775 | Peru | EAN-13 |
| 777 | Bolivia | EAN-13 |
| 778 – 779 | Argentina | EAN-13 |
| 780 | Chile | EAN-13 |
| 784 | Paraguay | EAN-13 |
| 786 | Ecuador | EAN-13 |
| 789 – 790 | Brazil | EAN-13 |
| 800 – 839 | Italy | EAN-13 |
| 840 – 849 | Spain | EAN-13 |
| 850 | Cuba | EAN-13 |
| 858 | Slovakia | EAN-13 |
| 859 | Czech Republic | EAN-13 |
| 860 | Serbia | EAN-13 |
| 865 | Mongolia | EAN-13 |
| 867 | North Korea | EAN-13 |
| 868 – 869 | Turkey | EAN-13 |
| 870 – 879 | Netherlands | EAN-13 |
| 880 | South Korea | EAN-13 |
| 883 | Myanmar | EAN-13 |
| 884 | Cambodia | EAN-13 |
| 885 | Thailand | EAN-13 |
| 888 | Singapore | EAN-13 |
| 890 | India | EAN-13 |
| 893 | Vietnam | EAN-13 |
| 896 | Pakistan | EAN-13 |
| 899 | Indonesia | EAN-13 |
| 900 – 919 | Austria | EAN-13 |
| 930 – 939 | Australia | EAN-13 |
| 940 – 949 | New Zealand | EAN-13 |
| 950 | GS1 Headquarters (Special Applications) | Special Applications |
| 955 | Malaysia | EAN-13 |
| 958 | Macao, China | EAN-13 |
| 977 | Serial Publications (ISSN) | Special Applications |
| 978 – 979 | Books (ISBN) | Special Applications |
| 980 | Bills Receivable | Special Applications |
| 981 – 982 | General Circulation Vouchers | Special Applications |
| 990 – 999 | Coupons | Special Applications |
Note: The prefix code identifies the source of the number range allocation, not the place of production or brand ownership. The specific available sub-ranges within a number range are subject to the current announcement of the corresponding member organization (e.g., within 690–699 for mainland China, currently enabled sub-ranges are implemented according to announcements from GS1 China). Enter any fragment in the filter to filter in real time.
69 range · Mainland China allocation
Example is a GTIN-13 starting with 690. The prefix code identifies the allocation source, not the place of production.
The proper nouns involved in this article.
The leading digits in a GS1 number range that identify the allocation source.
The code segment allocated by a member organization to an enterprise, within which the enterprise assigns item reference numbers.
The number segment assigned by the enterprise to each SKU within its own code segment.
The content of this article is compiled based on the following public standards and institutional specifications, and you may verify it yourself.
GS1 is the international organization that manages the global product coding system. Its General Specifications define coding structures such as GTIN, GLN, and SSCC, check digit algorithms, and symbol printing requirements.
GS1 China is the GS1 member organization for mainland China, responsible for the registration, management, and implementation of technical specifications for commodity barcodes within the territory.
GS1 Hong Kong is the GS1 member organization for Hong Kong, China, responsible for local product barcode membership registration and technical support.
GS1 does not sell barcodes, nor does it make barcode scanners. Its role is to develop and maintain a globally agreed set of encoding...
International Barcodes"International Barcode" is not a separate category. Whichever market you want to sell in, follow that market's number range...
Hong Kong Barcodes489 is the GS1 prefix for Hong Kong, China. Hong Kong entities, serving Hong Kong, Macao, or international markets…
Knowledge BaseAll topics and article directories for the 13 subcategories
Knowledge pages address general questions. When it comes to your specific products, markets, and channels, it is faster to ask a coding consultant directly.
