Additionally, the fixed length limits the amount of information that can be encoded, making it fine for supermarkets, but inadequate for communicating more detailed information. It also has a check digit, to ensure accuracy when typing a code in by hand.ĭisadvantages: It's only a numeric code and cannot encode letters. The reduced size of the UPC-E is because it omits all of the extra zeros that are normally found in a full sized code: i.e., the zeros that come before the product code and after the manufacturer's code.Īdvantages: Its condensed size allows it to fit on smaller packages. Other than that, the two codes are set up the same way, with a digit at the beginning to designate the type of product being scanned (regular product, coupon, weighted item, etc.) followed by a manufacturer's code, a product code, and, finally, a check digit to ensure accuracy. Specifications: A UPC-E barcode is half the size of UPC-A, with 6 digits instead of 12. The condensed version is used on smaller products whose packages don't have room to place the full sized UPC-A code. UPC-E is the condensed version of the standard sized UPC-A numeric barcode, used in grocery stores and other retail establishments across the country. The UPC-E barcode is a Universal Product Code, the most widely used barcode in the United States.

Advanced image formation for label-based codes.

Upc barcode