European Article Number (EAN)

What is an EAN (European Article Number)?

An EAN (European Article Number) is a standardised 13-digit barcode used globally to uniquely identify retail products. It is the international equivalent of the UPC (Universal Product Code) used in North America, and both are part of the broader GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) standard. When you scan a product at a retail checkout or see a barcode on packaging, that barcode is typically encoding either an EAN-13 or a UPC-A number.

EANs are assigned through GS1, the global supply chain standards organisation. A business registers with GS1 to receive a GS1 Company Prefix, which is then combined with a product-specific identifier to create a unique EAN for each SKU. This uniqueness is the core value: every product from every manufacturer worldwide has a distinct EAN, enabling consistent product identification across retail systems, marketplaces, and supply chains without ambiguity.

Why EANs matter for Shopify brands

For Shopify brands selling through multiple channels, EANs (and GTINs more broadly) are essential infrastructure. Amazon requires valid GTINs for most product listings, and listing without them either blocks the listing entirely or requires a GTIN exemption. Google Shopping uses GTINs to match products to Google's product catalog, which directly affects product listing ad quality scores and eligibility for enhanced product features like ratings and pricing comparisons. Without correct GTINs in your Google Merchant Center product feed, you may be excluded from Shopping results for your own products.

For inventory management, EANs work alongside SKUs to create a dual identification system. The SKU is internal - assigned by the merchant to track variants and fulfilment. The EAN is external - recognised by retailers, marketplaces, and logistics systems worldwide. Shopify supports EAN entry in the product details section and passes them through to connected sales channel integrations. Brands selling wholesale to retailers will also need to provide EANs on all products, as brick-and-mortar retail systems are entirely dependent on barcode scanning for inventory management and point-of-sale processing.