Create EAN-8 barcodes for small packaging
Generate a compact EAN-8 retail barcode for small packaging, with automatic check digit handling.
Create your barcode
ValidateWhen to use EAN-8 instead of EAN-13
EAN-8 is the small-package member of the retail barcode family. When a product is genuinely too small for a full EAN-13, a lip balm, a single sweet, a slim cosmetics tin, GS1 issues a shorter eight-digit number so the barcode still fits. This page produces the artwork for an EAN-8 you have been assigned. It does not invent the number, because retail scanners check codes against the GS1 database, and an EAN-8 is not simply the first eight digits of your EAN-13. It is a separate assignment.
Check the final file
Every code should be tested in the place where people will use it.
- Scan the downloaded image.
- Check the destination on a phone.
- Keep contrast and spacing easy to read.
If the first print feels uncertain, make one more proof.
Create an EAN-8 barcode
- Enter the full eight-digit EAN-8, or just the first seven digits and let the tool add the check digit.
- Confirm the number came from your GS1-assigned EAN-8 range rather than being made up.
- Generate the barcode and review it at the size you actually plan to print.
- Place the SVG in your packaging artwork and keep a PNG or PDF for proofing.
- Scan a printed proof and compare the decoded digits against your product record.
Where EAN-8 barcodes fit
- A lip balm tube too narrow for EAN-13
- A single-serve confectionery wrapper
- A small cosmetics tin
EAN-8 number checks
- EAN-8 exists only for packages where a full EAN-13 will not fit. If there is room for EAN-13, retailers usually prefer it.
- An EAN-8 is assigned separately by GS1. It is not the first eight digits of your EAN-13, and treating it that way produces a number that belongs to nobody.
- The check digit catches a typo, but it never proves the number is registered to your product.
EAN-8 mistakes to avoid
- Treating EAN-8 as a shortened EAN-13. They are separately assigned numbers.
- Inventing an eight-digit number instead of using one assigned by GS1 for retail sale.
- Shrinking the barcode below the size that retail scanners reliably read.
EAN-8 barcode questions
When should I use EAN-8 instead of EAN-13?
Only when the package is physically too small for an EAN-13. GS1 assigns EAN-8 numbers sparingly for exactly that reason, so if a full EAN-13 fits, use it instead.
How many digits is an EAN-8?
Eight in total: seven data digits and one check digit. That is what makes it compact enough for small packaging where the longer EAN-13 would not fit.
Can I enter just seven digits?
Yes. Enter seven and the tool calculates and appends the eighth check digit for you. If you want to see the math on its own, the EAN check digit calculator does the same calculation.
Is an EAN-8 just the first eight digits of my EAN-13?
No, and this is the most common and most expensive misconception. EAN-8 numbers are assigned separately by GS1 from a different pool. Slicing eight digits off an EAN-13 gives you a number that is not registered to anything.
How do I get an EAN-8 number?
From GS1, requested specifically. Because the eight-digit space is limited, GS1 issues EAN-8 only when you can show the product is too small for EAN-13. Never buy one from a third-party reseller.
Will retail scanners read EAN-8?
Yes. EAN-8 is a standard retail symbology read by point-of-sale scanners worldwide, the same as EAN-13. The shorter length is the only practical difference at the till.
What is the smallest size I can print it?
Follow GS1 magnification guidance and avoid going below about 80 percent of nominal size. Below that, scan reliability drops fast. Always print a proof at the real size and scan it before a production run.
What is the difference between EAN-8 and UPC-E?
Both are compact retail codes. EAN-8 is a globally used eight-digit number, while UPC-E is a compressed form of a UPC-A used mainly in North America. If you are selling internationally, EAN-8 is the broader fit.
More tools for retail packaging
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