How Barcodes Power Retail & Supply Chains: GTIN, SSCC and GS1 Explained
QR & Barcode Standards Specialist · Last updated Jul 2, 2026
Behind every smooth checkout and same-day delivery is a quiet system of numbers and barcodes coordinated by a global standards body called GS1.
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GS1 is the non-profit organisation that maintains the global standards behind retail and supply-chain barcodes. It issues company prefixes and defines how product and shipment numbers are structured, so that a code scanned in one country means exactly the same thing everywhere else.
The GTIN: identifying a product
The Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) is the unique number that identifies a product. It is what sits inside an EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode at retail. When a cashier scans the code, the point-of-sale system looks up the GTIN to find the price and description.
From item to case: ITF-14
Products rarely ship one at a time. A case or carton receives its own GTIN-14, usually printed as an ITF-14 barcode with a protective bearer bar, so a warehouse can scan an entire case without opening it.
The SSCC: tracking the shipment
To track a specific pallet or parcel — not just the type of product inside — the supply chain uses the Serial Shipping Container Code, an 18-digit SSCC. Each SSCC is unique to a single logistics unit, letting carriers and warehouses trace exactly where it is.
GS1-128: carrying the details
A product number alone is not enough for logistics; you also need batch numbers, expiry dates and quantities. GS1-128 packs all of this into one barcode using Application Identifiers — standardised prefixes that tell the scanner what each piece of data represents.
Why standards matter
Because everyone follows the same GS1 rules, a manufacturer in one country, a shipper in another and a retailer in a third can all read the same codes without special arrangements. This shared language is what makes global retail and just-in-time logistics possible.
Where it is heading
Retailers are preparing to accept 2D codes like QR Codes and GS1 DataMatrix at checkout under GS1's "Sunrise 2027" initiative, which will let a single scan carry a GTIN alongside batch and expiry data. For the bigger picture, see Barcodes & AI.
Getting started
If you sell products, you will need a GTIN — obtained through a GS1 company prefix — before your barcodes will scan in major retailers. From there, choose the right symbology for each level: item, case and pallet. Explore them all in our barcode types guide.