How to Get a Barcode for Your Product in India (GS1 Guide)
Who needs product barcodes, how GS1 India registration works, and how to assign and check your GTINs correctly.
If you sell your own brand of products โ in retail stores, on marketplaces or through Google Shopping โ you will usually need barcodes. In India, official barcodes come from GS1 India, the national body of the global GS1 organisation that manages GTIN numbers.
Do you need a barcode?
- Selling in supermarkets and retail chains โ almost always required.
- Selling on large marketplaces โ often required for branded products, though some offer exemptions for certain categories or handmade items.
- Google Shopping โ products with a manufacturer barcode should include it. Products that genuinely have none can be listed with
identifier_existsset to "no".
Read what a GTIN code is for the background.
Step 1: Register with GS1 India
Apply on the GS1 India website. You will typically need business details and documents such as company or business registration, PAN, GST details and contact information. GS1 India charges a registration fee and an annual fee that depend on your business size and the number of codes you need โ check their site for current fees.
Step 2: Receive your company prefix
Once approved, you get a GS1 company prefix โ the first digits of all your barcodes. It identifies your business worldwide.
Step 3: Assign a GTIN to each product variant
Give every distinct product its own number: each size, colour, flavour and pack size usually needs a separate GTIN. Keep a simple sheet of which number belongs to which product, and never reuse numbers.
Step 4: Create the barcode images
Turn each number into a barcode symbol (usually EAN-13 in India) and print it on packaging at the recommended size and quality, so scanners read it reliably.
Step 5: Check your numbers
Before adding them to your feeds and marketplace listings, check each number's check digit with the free GTIN validator. Read how to validate GTINs in bulk.
Avoid unofficial barcode sellers
Some websites sell cheap barcodes from old or reused number ranges. The numbers may pass a check-digit test but are not registered to your company. Marketplaces and Google can check GTINs against GS1 data and reject them. Getting your own from GS1 India avoids this.
Keep a simple barcode register
From day one, keep a spreadsheet with one row per GTIN: the full number, product name, variant (size, colour, pack), date assigned and where it is used (packaging, website, marketplaces, Google feed). Format the GTIN column as text so leading zeros are never lost. This register prevents duplicate numbers, makes marketplace listings faster and helps when a retailer asks for product data.
Common mistakes
- Using one barcode for every size or colour.
- Reusing a number from a discontinued product too soon for a different product.
- Printing barcodes too small or on curved surfaces that scanners cannot read.
- Losing the original GS1 records when staff change.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a GS1 barcode mandatory in India?
It is not a legal requirement for every product, but most retailers and many marketplaces require GS1 barcodes for branded products.
Can I make my own barcode numbers?
No. Made-up numbers are not registered to you and can be rejected.
Do different sizes need different barcodes?
Usually yes. Each variant normally gets its own GTIN.
What barcode type is used in India?
EAN-13 (a 13-digit GTIN) is the most common for retail products.