Barcode prefixes by country: the complete GS1 list

The first three digits of an EAN barcode are the prefix. They indicate which GS1 organization issued the code: the Spanish one issues those starting with 84, the French one those from 30 to 37, and the German one those from 40 to 44.

What they do not say is where the product was manufactured. Here you have the complete list of prefixes by country, how to read an EAN, and how a company in Spain gets its codes. The list is the public GS1 list, checked on October 21, 2026.

How to read an EAN-13 code

EAN-13 is the 13-digit barcode for almost everything sold in a store. GS1 now calls it GTIN-13. It has three parts:

1. Company prefix. It starts with the country prefix of the GS1 organization (2 or 3 digits) and continues with the number that organization assigns to each company. Together they take up 7 to 10 digits.
2. Product reference. The company itself assigns it, a different one for each item and each variant: each size and each color has its own code.
3. Check digit. The last digit. It is calculated from the other twelve and helps the scanner detect a reading error.

The check digit is calculated like this: multiply the digits in odd positions by 1 and those in even positions by 3, add everything up, and find what is needed to reach the next multiple of ten. With the example 952 123 456 789, the sum is 121, 9 are needed to reach 130, and the full code is 9521234567899. GS1 reserves prefix 952 specifically for examples like this.

The prefix is not the country of manufacture

A code starting with 84 means that the company that assigned it is a member of GS1 Spain. It may manufacture in Portugal, China, or Murcia. And a Spanish company that manufactures here can use GS1 France codes if its parent company is French.

That is why the prefix does not tell you whether a product is Spanish. For that, look at the label: the country of origin, when required, and the manufacturer details.

List of prefixes by country

Ordered by prefix. If a country has several ranges, they all appear in its row. Spain is highlighted. You can search for a country or paste a full barcode to see which organization issued it.

The gaps in the list (for example, 140-199 or 510-519) are not assigned to any country today. GS1 keeps some numbers for new organizations.

Prefixes that do not belong to any country

• 020-029 and 200-299: restricted-circulation numbers. Each country uses them for its own purposes, such as the weighed products labeled by the supermarket.
• 040-049: internal company numbers, for use within the company.
• 950-952: GS1 Global Office. 952 is the one used for examples.
• 960-969: short 8-digit codes (GTIN-8) for very small products.
• 977: magazines and periodicals (ISSN).
• 978-979: books (ISBN).
• 980: return vouchers.
• 981-983 and 99: discount coupons.

How to get barcodes in Spain

In Spain they are issued by AECOC, which is the GS1 organization in the country. You have to become a member. The steps are these:

1. Register with AECOC. It assigns you a company prefix that starts with 84.
2. Number your products. With the AECOC ACTIVATE tool you assign a code to each item and each variant.
3. Generate the barcodes and print them on the packaging or label.
4. Check that they scan properly. AECOC reviews the print quality of members.

The fees depend on what the company billed the previous year. According to the AECOC website, approved on November 28, 2025:

• Registration, one-time: €100 if you bill less than €100,000, €300 between €100,000 and €500,000, and €600 above that.
• Annual fee: from €216, and it increases by billing brackets. AECOC has a calculator on its website so you can see yours.
• Codes: the minimum is 100 items. If you run out, they give you another prefix at no cost.

The annual fee is what keeps the prefix active. If you stop paying it, the codes are no longer in your name.

And what about the codes sold cheaply online?

There are websites that resell individual codes for a few euros. They are numbers that GS1 assigned years ago to another company. The code works at a store checkout, but it is still registered in that other company’s name.

Major channels check this:

• Google says in its help that, if in doubt, no GTIN should be sent and none should be invented.
• Amazon checks codes against the GS1 database and can block the product if the code belongs to another brand.

If you sell on those channels under your own brand, the safe option is AECOC codes or, in cases where it is allowed, selling without a code.

What an online store needs them for

In Google Shopping. The GTIN is what Google uses to know that your product is the same as the one sold by other stores. The Merchant Center help says three things that are worth keeping clear:

• If the product has a GTIN assigned by the manufacturer and you do not send it, Google may reject it.
• Without a GTIN, or with an incorrect one, the product may be shown less often.
• Private-label and made-to-order products do not have a GTIN: they are sent with the brand and the reference.

It also rejects codes that start with 02, 04, 2, 05, 98 and 99, which are internal and coupon codes, and it checks the check digit.

On Amazon. It asks for a code to list a new product. If it is private label or handmade and has no code, you can request a GTIN exemption, by brand and by category. It does not apply to brands that already put GS1 codes on their products.

On the product page. The European General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) requires the online offer to identify the product: type, image, and any other identifier. The EAN is not mandatory under that rule, but it is the identifier that most helps locate a product if there is an alert.

And if you sell in the European Union, EHERO Woo GPSR shows the manufacturer’s details, the EU responsible person, the product identification and the warnings on each product page. It is filled in once per brand and applies to the whole catalog.

Frequently asked questions

Which country is barcode 84?

Spain. From 840 to 849 are the GS1 Spain (AECOC) prefixes. They indicate that the company is a member of AECOC, not that the product was made in Spain.

Which country is 690 or 693?

China. GS1 China has 690 to 699 and also 680 and 681.

And 560?

Portugal. It is the only GS1 Portugal prefix.

Is a code that starts with 0 from the United States?

Almost always. It is a 12-digit UPC code with a zero in front. The ranges 000-019, 030-039 and 060-139 belong to GS1 US.

Can I make up barcodes?

For internal use, yes: GS1 reserves those starting with 04 and 2 for that purpose. Outside your store they are not valid. To sell in other stores, on Google Shopping or on Amazon, the code must be registered in your name.

How much does a barcode cost in Spain?

With AECOC, €100 to join if you bill less than €100,000 and from €216 per year, with a minimum of 100 items. What you pay is the membership fee, not each code.

Do I need a barcode to sell in my online store?

No. Your own store can sell without codes. You need them if you sell other brands’ products on Google Shopping, if you sell on Amazon, or if a distributor asks for them.

Are EAN and GTIN the same?

GTIN is the family name: GTIN-8, GTIN-12 (UPC), GTIN-13 (EAN) and GTIN-14. An EAN-13 is a GTIN-13.

Conclusion

The prefix of a barcode says which GS1 organization issued it, not where the product was made. If you sell products from other brands, use the manufacturer’s EAN. If you sell under your own brand on Amazon or in physical stores, get your codes from AECOC. And if you only sell on your website, you can start without them.

Useful links

• GS1 prefix list, in English: the source for the table.
• Become an AECOC member: fees and calculator.
• GTIN attribute, in Google Merchant Center help.
• EHERO Woo Product Feed: the WooCommerce feed for Google Shopping with GTIN.
• EHERO Woo GPSR: product safety information on each product page.