Barcode Country Code Prefix

The first digits of a barcode do not tell you where a product was made. They show which numbering organisation issued the number, and nothing more.

A barcode beginning 69 was issued in China. The product carrying it might have been made in China, Vietnam, or Ontario. A Canadian company can hold a number issued anywhere, and frequently does.

If you’re trying to find out where something was manufactured, the barcode can’t tell you. The packaging usually can.

What the first digits actually mean

Every retail barcode number begins with a prefix assigned to a national numbering organisation. That organisation issues blocks of numbers to companies that apply to it.

So the prefix records where the number came from, not where the product came from, where the company is based, or where it’s sold.

A company registers wherever is convenient, and keeps its numbers when it moves, changes manufacturer or opens in a new market. Reissuing every barcode each time a supplier changes would make the system useless.

Where the myth came from

The belief that barcodes reveal the country of origin has circulated via email and social media for decades, often accompanied by advice to boycott goods from a particular country.

Snopes has a detailed debunking that covers the claim’s origins and why it doesn’t hold up.

The simplest test: a barcode number belongs to a company, and companies manufacture in more than one country. Nothing in the number changes when production moves.

Showing that your product is made in Canada

If country of origin matters to your customers, say so on the pack.

Print “Made in Canada” or “Product of Canada” where people will see it. Some manufacturers place it directly above the barcode, which is a sensible spot; it’s where people look when they’re wondering.

Be aware these are advertising claims with legal meaning in Canada, and you need to be able to support them if challenged. The Competition Bureau sets out what qualifies.

Where our numbers come from

Our barcode numbers begin with 06 or 07, which means they were originally issued in the United States.

That has no bearing on where you’re based or where you sell. We supply these numbers to customers in more than 120 countries, and they’re scanned at retailers worldwide without difficulty.

A small number of retailers do impose their own additional requirements. Those are listed on our barcode acceptance page.

Country code prefix list

These are the prefixes assigned to numbering organisations worldwide.

Three entries worth knowing about:

• 20–29 — reserved for in-store use. Supermarkets use these for items priced by weight, such as deli counter labels. They’re not issued to companies and are meaningless outside the shop that printed them.
• 977 — serial publications, encoded from an ISSN. See magazine barcodes.
• 978–979 — books, encoded from an ISBN. See book barcodes.

Frequently asked questions

Do barcode numbers show where a product was made? No. They show which numbering organisation issued the number. A product can be made anywhere regardless of its barcode prefix.

What does a barcode starting with 69 mean? The number was issued in China. It says nothing about where the product was manufactured or where the company is based.

What is the barcode country code for Canada? 754 and 755 are assigned to Canada, and 0 covers the United States and Canada together. But a Canadian product can carry any prefix. Most Canadian companies use numbers issued elsewhere.

Can I choose which country prefix my barcode has? Not usually, and it makes no practical difference. Retailers scan the number; they don’t inspect its prefix.

What do barcodes starting with 20 to 29 mean? They’re for in-store use, typically for items that are weighed and labelled in-store. They aren’t registered to any company and mean nothing outside that store.

Will a US-issued barcode work in Canada? Yes. Barcode numbers are international, and the prefix has no effect on whether a number scans.