Official Barcodes for Your Products — Sell on Any Retail or E-commerce Platform
A barcode is a machine-readable representation of data (typically a product's identity and price) used for automatic identification and data capture (AIDC) at retail checkout counters, warehouses, and e-commerce fulfilment centres. GS1 is the global non-profit organisation that administers the international barcode numbering system — the EAN-13 barcode (used in India and internationally) and the UPC-A barcode (used in the USA/Canada) are both GS1 standards.
GS1 India is the country chapter of GS1 Global, operating under the Quality Council of India. When you register with GS1 India, you receive a unique Global Company Prefix (GCP) — a 7–9 digit company-specific number that forms the base of all your product barcodes (GTINs — Global Trade Item Numbers). Each product SKU (size/colour/variant) gets its own unique GTIN, encoded into the barcode printed on the product label.
GS1 barcodes are the only barcodes accepted by major Indian retailers (D-Mart, Reliance Retail, Big Bazaar, Spencer's), all leading e-commerce platforms (Amazon India, Flipkart — Amazon specifically requires GS1 GTINs for brand-owner listings), and international export markets. Using unofficial or random barcodes downloaded from non-GS1 sources can result in product rejection by retailers and deactivation of listings on e-commerce platforms.
FMCG Manufacturers
FMCG brands, packaged food companies, and consumer goods manufacturers
Amazon / Flipkart Sellers
E-commerce sellers listing products on Amazon India (Brand Registry requires GTIN)
Exporters
Exporters supplying to international retailers (Walmart, Tesco, Carrefour) who require GS1 barcodes
Pharma & MedTech
Pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers (GS1 barcodes for track-and-trace)
Retail Brands
Retail brands wanting products to be scannable at any POS terminal in India
Product Startups
Startups launching physical products and wanting to be shelf-ready from Day 1
GS1 India Membership Application
1 dayApply for GS1 India membership online at gs1india.org. Choose the correct membership tier based on your number of product SKUs.
Document Submission & Payment
1–2 daysSubmit company KYC documents and pay the one-time registration fee + annual subscription online.
GCP Allotment
3–7 working daysGS1 India allots your unique Global Company Prefix (GCP). You receive membership certificate and access to the GS1 India member portal.
GTIN Generation
Immediate (self-service on portal)Use the GS1 India member portal to generate individual GTINs for each product SKU. Each GTIN is unique to one product-size-variant combination.
Barcode Image Generation
Immediate (via portal or software)Generate standard EAN-13 barcode images (in EPS/PNG/SVG format) using your GTINs — for use on product labels, packaging, and e-commerce listings.
PAN card of the company / proprietor / LLP
GST Registration Certificate
Certificate of Incorporation / Udyam certificate / Partnership deed (as applicable)
Address proof of the registered office
Authorised signatory KYC — PAN and Aadhaar / ID proof
GS1 India Membership Tiers
Startup / Micro
₹2,999 service fee
Up to 10 GTINs
Ideal for: Micro enterprises, startups with 1–10 product variants
Small Business
₹5,499 service fee
Up to 100 GTINs
Ideal for: FMCG brands, e-commerce sellers, food manufacturers with 11–100 SKUs
Medium / Large
₹14,999 service fee
1,000+ GTINs
Ideal for: Established manufacturers, exporters, organised retail brands
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use barcodes I find online or generate using free barcode software?
No — barcodes generated without a GS1-allocated GCP are unofficial and not unique. They can conflict with another company's products in retail systems, leading to incorrect scanning at POS. Amazon and major retailers specifically require GS1-sourced GTINs.
Is one barcode per product or per variant?
One GTIN per SKU — meaning each unique combination of product + size + colour + flavour needs its own barcode. A 500ml and a 1-litre bottle of the same product are two separate GTINs.
Do GS1 barcodes expire?
GS1 membership is renewed annually. As long as your membership is active, your GTINs remain valid. Lapsed membership does not invalidate barcodes already printed, but you cannot generate new GTINs or maintain your GS1 company data.
Can I use one barcode for selling in both India and international markets?
Yes — GS1 GTINs are globally unique. An EAN-13 barcode registered in India is accepted at retailers and e-commerce platforms worldwide. This is a key advantage of GS1 over any non-standard barcode.
⚡ Accepted By
Globally unique product identity, Amazon & Flipkart compatible, retail & export ready — shelf-ready from day one