Universal Product Code

The Universal Product Code (UPC ) is a barcode, are characterized by the products at retail. Encoded a number code that the barcode scanner read optically without contact.

It was introduced in 1973 in the United States. On its development Norman Joseph Woodland, the inventor of the bar code was instrumental.

Three years later, the European Article Number ( EAN ). The EAN is compatible with the Universal Product Code, but encodes a character more. In the U.S. and Canada, the UPC is currently still the only encoding that is accepted by the entire market. The assumption that the UPC a leading zero progress, the number string can be used as a valid 13-digit EAN. Therefore, many international companies use in consumer goods only the UPC code.

Over the first six digits of the UPC A code ( also called GTIN 12) can be assigned to a product clearly a manufacturer or dealer. The positions 7 to 11, the owner of the number range to distribute its products. The 12th digit is a check digit, which is calculated according to Modulo 10 with weighting 3.

Companies can acquire a fee UPC number ranges in the Uniform Code Council.

The encoding of a UPC is identical to the encoding of an EAN with a leading zero.