One of the core requirements of the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR) is product traceability. If something goes wrong with a product, authorities need to be able to trace it back through the supply chain quickly. Product identifiers like EAN and UPC codes are a key part of making that possible.
If you sell physical products in the EU market, here’s what you need to know about these identifiers and how to handle them in your WooCommerce store.
What GPSR Requires for Product Identification
GPSR requires that products placed on the EU market can be identified and traced. Each product must carry:
- A unique product identifier (typically a barcode number)
- The product type, batch, or serial number
- Manufacturer name and postal address
- The name and address of the EU responsible person (for non-EU sellers)
The product identifier doesn’t have to be an EAN or UPC in particular, but these are the most widely recognized and practical options. Using a standard barcode system makes it easier for retailers, marketplaces, and authorities to look up your product information.
EAN vs. UPC vs. GTIN: What’s the Difference?
These acronyms get thrown around a lot, sometimes interchangeably, so let’s clarify what each one actually means.
GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is the umbrella term. It’s the standard managed by GS1, the international organization that oversees barcode systems worldwide. When someone says “GTIN,” they’re referring to the broader system that includes several specific formats.
EAN-13 (European Article Number) is a 13-digit barcode format used primarily in Europe and most of the world outside North America. If you’re selling to EU customers, this is the format you’ll encounter most often.
UPC-A (Universal Product Code) is a 12-digit format used mainly in the United States and Canada. It’s technically a subset of GTIN. If you already have UPC codes for the US market, they can be converted to EAN-13 by adding a leading zero.
EAN-8 is a shorter 8-digit format used for very small products where a full EAN-13 barcode wouldn’t physically fit on the packaging.
For GPSR purposes, any of these formats will work as a product identifier. The important thing is that each product has a unique, standardized number that can be used to identify it.
Where to Get Barcodes
The official way to get EAN or UPC codes is through GS1, the organization that manages the global barcode system. Here’s how it works:
- Join GS1 – You register with your local GS1 office (for example, GS1 Germany, GS1 UK, or GS1 US). There’s an annual membership fee that varies by country and company size.
- Get a company prefix – GS1 assigns you a unique company prefix, which forms the first part of all your barcodes.
- Assign product numbers – You create individual GTINs for each product by combining your company prefix with product-specific numbers.
- Generate barcode images – Use GS1’s tools or free barcode generators to create the actual barcode graphics for your packaging.
Membership costs vary. In the US, GS1 charges a one-time fee starting around $250 plus an annual renewal of $50. European GS1 offices have their own pricing, typically in the €150-400 range for small businesses.
You might see third-party services selling “cheap barcodes” for a fraction of the GS1 price. Be careful with these. Some resell recycled or non-unique codes that can cause problems with major retailers and marketplaces. For GPSR compliance, using legitimate GS1-issued codes is the safest approach.
Adding Product Identifiers in WooCommerce
WooCommerce doesn’t have a built-in field for EAN or GTIN by default, but there are several ways to add this data to your products.
Your most straightforward approach is using a plugin that adds barcode fields to your product editor. The GPSR Compliance for WooCommerce plugin includes fields for product identifiers as part of its compliance data management. Since you need to add manufacturer details and safety information for GPSR anyway, handling barcodes in the same place keeps everything organized.
Once the data is in your store, make sure it appears in the right places:
- Product pages – Display the EAN/GTIN so customers can verify the product
- Structured data – Include the GTIN in your product schema markup for search engines (Google in particular looks for this)
- Order records – Capture the identifier in order data so it’s available for customer service and compliance purposes
- Feeds – If you use Google Shopping or marketplace feeds, the GTIN field is usually required or strongly recommended
Why Traceability Matters Beyond Compliance
Product traceability isn’t just a regulatory checkbox. It has real practical benefits for your business:
Faster recall response. If a product has a safety issue, proper identifiers let you quickly determine which batches are affected, which customers received them, and where remaining stock is located. Without traceability, a recall becomes a slow, expensive guessing game.
Better inventory management. Unique product identifiers make stock tracking more reliable, reduce errors in fulfillment, and simplify warehouse operations.
Marketplace access. Amazon, Google Shopping, and most major EU marketplaces either require or strongly prefer products with valid GTINs. Without them, your product visibility drops much.
Customer trust. A product with a scannable barcode and clear manufacturer information feels more legitimate than one without. This is especially true for EU customers who are accustomed to seeing this data.
Getting Started
If you don’t have product identifiers yet, start by registering with your local GS1 office. It takes a few business days to get your company prefix, and from there you can start assigning GTINs to your catalog.
For your WooCommerce store, set up a GPSR compliance plugin that handles both the identifier fields and the broader GPSR requirements like manufacturer data and safety information. Getting all of this in place now means you won’t be scrambling when a marketplace or authority asks for it.
Product identifiers are one of those things that seem like a hassle to set up but save you enormous headaches down the road. They’re a one-time investment per product that pays off every time you deal with inventory, compliance, or customer service.
Related Articles
- How to Set Up Manufacturer Data for GPSR in WooCommerce
- GPSR and Schema.org: How Structured Data Helps Your WooCommerce Products Rank
- Amazon GPSR Requirements: How to Stay Compliant on Your WooCommerce Store Too
