The first three digits of an EAN-13 barcode show which GS1 member organisation issued the code to the company. They do not show where the product was made. Here is the full list and the right way to check origin.
| 020–029, 040–049, 200–299 | In-store use (loose, weighed or own-label items) |
| 050–059, 981–984, 990–999 | Coupons and vouchers |
| 950, 960–969 | GS1 Global Office (including short EAN-8 codes) |
| 977 | Magazines and periodicals (ISSN) |
| 978–979 | Books (ISBN) and sheet music (ISMN) |
| 980 | Refund receipts |
Each country has a GS1 organisation that licenses barcodes to the companies registered with it. The prefix (for example 500-509 for the UK or 690-699 for China) says where the company that requested the code is registered.
A British brand manufacturing in Asia usually keeps its 50 prefix. A foreign company can sell a product made in Spain under its own prefix. The prefix is a clue, never proof of origin.
Look for the country of origin on the label, or words such as “Made in”, “Produced in”, “Origin” or “Product of”. On food, the name and address of the responsible business help too, although they do not always match the place of manufacture.
With Origen you scan the barcode and see the manufacturing country and ingredient origins stated in the public product record (Open Food Facts and related databases). If the record does not state it, we tell you so instead of guessing from the prefix.
It means the company registered the code with GS1 UK. The product may have been made elsewhere. Check the country of origin on the label or scan it with Origen.
Prefixes 690-699 (and 680-681) are issued to companies registered with GS1 China. They do not show where the product was made.
They are ISBNs written as EAN-13 codes. They are not tied to a country: the publisher’s country is encoded inside the ISBN itself.
Codes 200-299 are for in-store use: weighed, loose or own-label items. They only make sense inside that retailer.