Consumers often wonder about the purpose of the various barcodes on food packaging. With good reason: Today, barcodes are used for much more than just regular supermarket checkout.
In this article, we’ll shine a light on this unobtrusive technology and explore its potential for the food industry.
Types of barcodes in food packaging
Barcodes are visual, machine-readable representations of data.
Generally, there are two distinct types: One-dimensional (1D) barcodes, which present as black and white bars of varying widths. And two-dimensional (2D) barcodes, which encode data in a pattern of black and white pixels, with the QR Code being the best-known.
On food packaging, the following barcodes are the most common:
| Type | Barcode symbology | Encoded information | Applications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1D | UPC (Universal Product Code): – UPC-A – UPC-E | – 12-digit GTIN – Condensed 6-digit GTIN | For retail items scanned at the point of sale (POS), mostly US and Canada |
 | 1D | EAN (European Article Number) – EAN-13 – EAN-8 | – 13-digit GTIN – 8-digit GTIN | For most food products at the POS, required for global retail |
 | 1D | GS1 DataBar | GTIN plus additional information, e.g., weight, expiration date, batch/lot number | Primarily for fresh foods to encode extra data for inventory and traceability |
 | 2D | QR Code | GTIN, URLs, GS1 Digital Link | For consumer engagement, detailed product data, regulatory compliance, and more |
Apart from the symbology itself, placement and spacing are also important for food packaging design.
The barcodes should be positioned for maximum scannability, typically in the lower right of the back of the package. Placement on corners, curved surfaces, folds, and seams makes scanning more difficult.
Additionally, most barcodes require an adequate quiet zone: a clear, blank space around the actual code. This zone is essential for barcode scanners to properly detect and decode them.
How to create barcode labels for food packaging
Creating food packaging barcodes involves five key steps:
1. Choose the appropriate barcode type
When selecting a barcode for product packaging, considerations should include the amount of information to encode, packaging size, and whether the product will be sold internationally.
2. Obtain a unique product identifier
To ensure global compatibility, registering with GS1 – a non-profit organization that develops and maintains global barcode standards – is crucial. Businesses receive either a GS1 Company Prefix for multiple products, or single Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN) if they have fewer products.
3. Generate the barcode
Barcodes can be swiftly generated with free online tools. Simply enter the product GTIN and select the barcode type needed, e.g., EAN-13.
4. Integrate the barcode into the packaging design
The barcode shouldn’t interfere with required labeling elements or disturb the overall design. It is typically placed on the bottom or low on the side of the packaging for optimal scanning.
5. Printing
For best scannability, high-quality printers are paramount. Thermal transfer printers, in particular, are widely used in the food industry due to their ability to produce sharp, durable barcodes that withstand both handling and moisture.
Applications of barcodes in food packaging
Barcodes on food packaging serve a variety of applications, mainly for retail and supply chain operations. Many use cases benefit from storing additional data in the barcodes, such as lot numbers.
- Food traceability and recall management: Barcodes on food packaging enable manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to track food products through the supply chain. In the event of a product recall, affected items can be identified quickly and precisely.
- Quality control and food safety: At quality control checkpoints, the barcodes can be scanned to log inspection results or access relevant data. Combined with enhanced traceability, this improves food safety.
- Inventory management & warehouse operations: Packaging barcodes enable businesses to automate inventory tracking, update stock levels in real time, and streamline restocking processes. This reduces human error and overstocking-related waste.
- Point of sale: At the point of sale, barcodes ensure speedy checkout. Some modern retail management systems enable real-time inventory updates, e.g., when using an mPOS.
- Consumer trust and engagement: Consumers can scan product barcodes to learn more about ingredients or origin, enhancing trust and engagement. Scan & Go and self-checkout streamline the shopping experience.
Beyond traditional barcodes: Future developments
Food packaging is evolving towards enhanced information, interactivity, and data-driven supply chains. Among the key drivers are GS1 Sunrise 2027, GS1 Digital Link, and the EU’s Digital Product Passport (DPP).
GS1 Sunrise 2027 is an initiative to transition from traditional 1D barcodes to advanced 2D barcodes at the point of sale by the end of 2027. This shift is driven by a growing demand for better product information, transparency, traceability, and authentication. 2D barcodes can easily store enough information to replace several 1D barcodes.
Core to this initiative is GS1 Digital Link technology, which enables linking GS1 identifiers to various web resources. Depending on who scans it, and for what purpose, a single, encoded URL can resolve to different online sources of information. The Digital Link infrastructure enhances transparency and streamlines the flow of information across supply networks.
It also facilitates compliance with regulations such as the EU Digital Product Passport (DPP). Part of the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR), the DPP serves as a digital record of the entire lifecycle of a product. Step by step, this will become mandatory for all products entering the EU market, regardless of origin. The information will be stored in decentralized online repositories maintained by the producers of the food item, and must be easily accessible through a data carrier – such as a barcode.
These programs are testament to the potential of barcodes on food packaging and reflect a wider shift towards 2D barcodes.
Mobile barcode scanners: The solution for food packaging
Businesses have to ensure that all stakeholders are able to scan 2D barcodes – a capability that laser scanners and other traditional barcode scanning devices lack. Furthermore, barcodes on food packaging pose unique challenges to unsophisticated scanners. Due to rough handling and wear and tear, their readability is often compromised.
Mobile barcode scanners are superior alternatives to traditional barcode scanners. Thanks to modern image processing capabilities, they can scan even damaged or blurry barcodes. But most importantly, they are able to scan the 2D barcodes that are becoming increasingly common in food packaging.
With modern barcode scanner software, even ordinary smart devices can be turned into high-performing barcode scanners. A simple app download is enough to enable workers and consumers to scan barcodes anytime, anywhere.
The Scanbot Barcode Scanner SDK reliably scans all common 1D and 2D barcodes, even when they are damaged, tiny, or in low-light environments. The SDK operates entirely offline, guaranteeing uninterrupted performance even in areas with poor or no internet connectivity. With features such as Batch Scanning and Multi Scanning, it streamlines inventory and warehouse operations.
Thanks to its built-in Ready-to-Use UI Components, the SDK can be quickly integrated into any mobile or web app – within hours. At the same time, they offer a variety of customization options.
How the Scanbot SDK performs in real-world food packaging scanning
Krónan, an Icelandic grocery retailer, experienced issues with their mobile app’s Scan & Go feature, which used a free barcode scanner solution. The latter didn’t support DataBar, preventing customers from scanning fresh produce. Furthermore, it regularly frustrated customers by scanning barcodes on background items and adding them to the shopping cart unnoticed.
With the Scanbot SDK, Krónan customers can now scan all products, including fresh produce, with the app. The viewfinder restricts the scanning area and visually highlights scanned barcodes on the screen. Krónan and the Scanbot SDK team also created a feature to ignore background barcodes – those occupying less than a specified percentage of the screen. This has further improved customers’ Scan & Go experience.
To see the Scanbot Barcode Scanner SDK in action, try our free barcode scanner demo apps. If you want to learn more about how it reliably scans barcodes on food packaging, please contact our solution experts at sdk@scanbot.io.
