Three different bar code symbologies are endorsed in the EAN· UCC system. For reading
at retail point of sale only the EAN/UPC bar codes should be used. In other applications,
back-door receiving or in warehouses three different symbologies can be used: EAN/UPC,
ITF 14 or UCC/EAN 128.
EAN-13
UPC-A
EAN-8
UPC-E
The use of the ITF-14 (Interleaved Two of Five) symbology
is restricted to the bar coding of identification numbers on trade items not passing
through retail checkouts. This symbology is better suited for direct printing onto
corrugated fibreboard.
The UCC/EAN-128 symbology is a variant of Code
128 symbology. Its use is exclusively licensed to GS1. It is not intended to be
read on items passing through retail checkouts. This is the only EAN/UCC endorsed
symbology that allows the encoding of information additional to identification.
