EAN for variations and bundles: when do you need a new EAN?

You need a separate EAN for every version of a product that a customer can buy as a distinct item: each size, each colour, each flavour, each pack size and each fixed bundle. You also need a new EAN when you change a product in a way that changes what a buyer or a retailer relies on, such as the net content, the brand, the contents of a bundle or a dimension change of 20% or more.

That sounds simple, but it is where most catalogue problems start. A seller gives one code to a T-shirt in five sizes, a marketplace merges them into one product, and the wrong size ships. Another seller "recycles" the EAN of a discontinued product and the old reviews and photos turn up on the new item. This guide explains the rules behind variants, multipacks, bundles, cartons and product changes, shows how the main marketplaces apply them as of October 2026, and ends with a worked example to calculate how many codes you actually need.

If you are new to the topic, start with what an EAN code is and how the 13 digits are built. This article assumes you know that an EAN (also called GTIN-13) is a number that identifies one trade item, and that the barcode is just the printed symbol that carries that number.

The basic rule: one EAN per distinct trade item

GS1, the organisation that maintains the GTIN standard, thinks in terms of "trade items". A trade item is anything you price, order or invoice as a separate thing. If a customer can choose it, put it in a basket and receive exactly that version, it is a trade item and it gets its own GTIN. The EAN-13 is simply the 13-digit form of that GTIN used outside North America.

The logic behind the rule is practical. Scanners, warehouses, marketplaces and comparison engines all use the number as a key. When a system sees the same number, it assumes the same product. When it sees a different number, it assumes a different product. Your coding has to match reality, or every downstream system starts making wrong assumptions on your behalf.

Three questions cover most cases:

1. Can the customer tell the difference? If two versions differ in size, colour, flavour, scent, capacity or contents, they are different items.
2. Would a mix-up cause a problem? If shipping one instead of the other would lead to a return, a complaint or a wrong stock count, they need different numbers.
3. Do you stock or count them separately? If your stock sheet has separate lines for them, your codes should too.

If the answer to any of these is yes, use separate EANs. If all three are no, you are probably looking at the same trade item, for example the same mug photographed in a different setting.

Do you need a different EAN for each size and colour?

Yes. Every sellable variant needs its own code, and this is one of the few points on which GS1 and every major channel agree. Google's Merchant Center help says it directly: each colour or size variant needs its own GTIN. GS1 Nederland uses a sock example: black and white socks in three sizes need six codes, and if you also sell 3-packs of those socks, you need six more (GS1 NL).

What counts as a variant

Think of a variant as anything that changes the physical item the customer receives. Typical examples:

• Size: clothing and shoe sizes, bed linen dimensions, 250 ml vs 500 ml bottles.
• Colour or pattern: black, navy and grey versions of the same jumper; striped vs plain.
• Flavour or scent: vanilla vs lavender candles, mint vs strawberry toothpaste.
• Material or finish: oak vs walnut, matt vs gloss.
• Capacity or specification: a 10,000 mAh and a 20,000 mAh power bank, a 1 m and a 2 m cable.
• Width or fit: Zalando, for example, treats every size, colour and width combination as a separate "simple" that needs its own EAN.

The number of codes multiplies across dimensions. A shirt in four colours and five sizes is 20 variants and therefore 20 EANs, not nine.

What does not count as a variant

Some differences live only in your listing or your admin, not in the product itself. They do not need their own EAN:

• A different product photo, title or description for the same item.
• Listing the same item on several marketplaces. The EAN follows the product, not the channel.
• Your own internal SKU or a supplier reference. Those are separate fields. Google explicitly says not to put SKUs in the GTIN field (Google unique product identifiers).
• A different selling price, as long as the price is not printed on the pack (see the change rules below).

Why a shared EAN across variants goes wrong

Marketplaces that build catalogues from EANs treat one number as one product page. On bol.com and Kaufland, all sellers of an EAN share the same page. If you give your small and large versions the same code, the platform cannot separate them, so customers may order one size and receive the other. On Cdiscount the reverse problem shows up as the error "Vous avez choisi un EAN déjà utilisé sur un produit d'une autre couleur" ("you chose an EAN already used on a product of another colour"); the fix is to give each colour its own EAN or align your data with the existing product. In own webshops the same mistake is common: one barcode copied into every variant row of a Shopify or WooCommerce product, which then breaks Google Shopping feeds and warehouse scanning.

Do multipacks and bundles need their own barcode?

Yes. A multipack or a bundle is a different trade item from the single product inside it, so it needs its own GTIN. A 3-pack of socks is not the same item as one pair, in the same way that a six-pack of cola is not the same item as one can. The GS1 sock example above counts the 3-packs separately for exactly that reason.

Multipacks of identical items

A multipack contains several units of the same product, sold together at one price: a 2-pack of phone cables, a 5-pack of identical notebooks, a 12-pack of tea lights. Each pack size is its own trade item:

• Single cable: EAN A
• 2-pack of the same cable: EAN B
• 5-pack of the same cable: EAN C

If the cable comes in two colours, the count doubles: each colour at each pack size has its own EAN. One more point: if the single units inside a multipack also carry their own barcode, cover or mask those barcodes on the outer pack, so a checkout scanner or a warehouse picker reads the multipack code, not a single unit. That is a practical retail convention rather than a marketplace rule, but it prevents a lot of mis-scans.

Bundles of different products

A bundle (GS1 calls it a "predefined assortment") combines different items into one sellable unit: a gift set of three candles in different scents, a starter kit with a razor and blades, a skincare set. The rules here are clear:

• Whoever creates the bundle assigns its GTIN. If the manufacturer makes a gift set, it has the manufacturer's code. If you put the set together yourself, you are the one who has to give it a code, as GS1 France points out.
• A change to the contents means a new GTIN. Swap the lavender candle in your gift set for a cedar one, and the set is a new trade item. This is one of the rules in the GS1 GTIN Management Standard (rule 9 in the table further down).
• Each fixed combination is its own item. If you offer a "relax" set and an "energy" set, each with a different combination of products, they are two bundles with two EANs.

How channels handle bundles you create yourself

Channels differ in how they want bundles submitted, so check the specific channel before you assign codes:

• Google Shopping: for bundles and multipacks, use the manufacturer's identifiers if the manufacturer created them. If you created the bundle, Google asks you to submit the identifiers of the main product in the bundle. Google also accepts 14-digit ITF-14 numbers for multipacks.
• Amazon: bundles can qualify for Amazon's GTIN exemption, so you do not always need a new code for a seller-made bundle there. Our guide to EAN codes for Amazon explains how the exemption works.
• bol.com: bol groups several EANs of one product, such as different pack sizes or regional versions, under one bol Product ID (BPID). That is bol's internal grouping; each pack size still has its own EAN.
• Own webshop: no rule forces you to code a bundle, but a code makes stock counting, picking and any later marketplace expansion far easier.

Cartons and outer cases: when GTIN-14 comes in

GS1 expects a GTIN at every packaging level that is traded. In practice that means a consumer unit (what a shopper buys), and possibly an inner pack, an outer carton and a pallet if those are ordered and invoiced as units. Cartons and outer cases are usually identified with a 14-digit GTIN carried in an ITF-14 or GS1-128 barcode. A GTIN-13 placed in such a 14-digit field gets a leading zero, as GS1 UK explains in its guidance on packaging levels.

The important distinction: a retail consumer unit must carry a GTIN-13 in an EAN-13 barcode, not an ITF-14. The 14-digit carton codes are for the warehouse and the trade, not for the shopper's till.

Do you as an online seller need carton codes? Usually not. If you sell single units and multipacks to consumers through your own shop or marketplaces, consumer-unit EANs cover you. Carton-level codes become relevant when you supply wholesalers or retailers who order by the case, or when a fulfilment partner asks for them. Retail supply is also where GS1 membership becomes the right route anyway, because supermarkets and chains require GS1 GTINs registered to the supplier. For the differences between GTIN-8, GTIN-12, GTIN-13 and GTIN-14, see EAN vs UPC vs GTIN explained.

One thing that does affect online sellers: if your case quantity changes (from 12 per carton to 10), that carton is a new trade item and needs a new GTIN. The consumer unit inside does not change.

When does a product change need a new EAN? The GS1 GTIN Management Standard

Products change over time: new recipes, smaller packs, new labels, a rebrand. GS1's GTIN Management Standard sets out which changes require a new GTIN. The idea is that anyone who relies on the number (a retailer, a marketplace, a customer re-ordering) must be able to trust that the same number still means the same thing. GS1 offers an online GTIN decision tool for individual cases. The core rules are:

#	Change	New GTIN needed?	Example
1	A new product (at every packaging level)	Yes	You launch a new candle scent
2	Change in formulation or function that changes the declared information	Yes	A cleaning spray gets a new formula with different declared ingredients
3	Change in declared net content	Yes	A coffee bag goes from 500 g to 450 g
4	Change in dimensions of 20% or more on any axis, or a change in gross weight	Yes	A storage box grows from 30 cm to 37 cm in length
5	Adding or removing a certification mark	Yes	An organic logo is added to the packaging
6	Change of primary brand	Yes	You rebrand from "Brand X" to "Brand Y"
7	Time-limited promotional pack	Only at case and pallet level, not the consumer unit	A Christmas sleeve on your standard product
8	Change in the quantity in a case or pack	Yes	A 6-pack becomes an 8-pack
9	Change to the contents of a predefined assortment or bundle	Yes	One item in a gift set is replaced
10	Adding, changing or removing a price printed on the pack	Yes	A "now €4.99" flash printed on the label

bol.com applies the same framework. Its partner help says that a change of brand, packaging or composition may require a new EAN, that you should use the GS1 decision tool, and that "bol follows GS1 policy" (bol.com partner platform).

The 20% rule for dimensions and weight

The dimension rule catches many sellers out because packaging changes often look cosmetic. If any axis (height, width or depth) changes by 20% or more, the item needs a new GTIN. The reason is logistics: shelf plans, warehouse slots and shipping calculations depend on those measurements. A change in gross weight is also a trigger in the standard.

The standard also closes the obvious loophole. Making a series of small changes, each just under the threshold, to avoid a new GTIN is described as "unacceptable". If the product has drifted by 20% or more from the version the number was assigned to, it needs a new number.

A quick worked check: your box measures 30 × 20 × 10 cm. A new supplier delivers it at 34 × 20 × 12 cm. Length changed by 4/30 = 13%, which is under 20%. Depth changed by 2/10 = 20%, which meets the threshold. That one axis is enough: the new box needs a new EAN.

Formulation, net content and declared information

The common thread in rules 2, 3 and 5 is "declared information": what the pack tells the buyer. If the ingredient list, the claimed function, the net quantity or a certification mark changes, the old number would describe something that no longer exists. A customer who re-orders by EAN expects the 500 g bag, not a 450 g one at the same price. That is why net content changes are always a new GTIN, even if the pack looks almost identical.

Brand changes

A change of primary brand needs a new GTIN. This matters for sellers who start out selling unbranded goods and later launch their own brand. The branded version is a new trade item, and on marketplaces it may also fall under different rules: bol.com, for instance, requires GS1-registered EANs for branded items (more on that in the channel section).

Changes that usually do not need a new EAN

The standard lists the triggers. Changes outside that list generally keep the existing GTIN. When in doubt, run your case through the GS1 decision tool, because borderline cases exist. Typical changes that do not trigger a new code:

• Minor artwork or label redesign that does not change the brand, the declared information, the net content, a certification mark or a printed price.
• Dimension changes under 20% on every axis (and no creeping series of changes that adds up to more).
• A temporary promotional pack at consumer level. Under rule 7, a time-limited promotion needs new GTINs at case and pallet level only. The consumer unit keeps its EAN, unless the promotion also changes something else on the list, such as the net content ("20% extra free") or a printed price.
• A product that is withdrawn and later returns unchanged. It keeps its original GTIN, as explained in the reuse section below.
• A new supplier for an identical product, as long as the item the customer receives is the same in every point that the rules cover.
• A price change in your shop that is not printed on the packaging.

Can you reuse an old EAN for a new product?

No. Since 1 January 2019, GS1's rule is that a GTIN allocated to a trade item shall not be reallocated to another trade item. In GS1's words: "AFTER December 2018, a GTIN allocated to a trade item SHALL NOT be reallocated to another trade item" (GS1 support).

The old reuse periods

Before 2019, reuse was allowed after a waiting period: 48 months after the last shipment for grocery products and 30 months for apparel (GS1 UK). You may still find older advice online that mentions those periods. It is out of date.

The narrow exceptions

Two situations are treated differently:

• A GTIN assigned to an item that was never produced (and so never reached the market) can be reused 12 months after it was removed from your catalogue.
• A withdrawn item that returns to the market unchanged keeps its original GTIN. That is not reuse; it is the same product coming back.

Why reuse causes trouble in practice

Even if a number was used years ago, marketplaces, price comparison sites and retailer systems remember it. Old product pages, reviews, photos and attributes stay linked to that number for a long time. Reuse a code and your new product may be matched to the old page, with the wrong title, the wrong images and someone else's reviews. On Amazon this can show up as error 8541 (conflicting information for the same GTIN) or 8542 (the product ID already exists for a different ASIN). Retiring a number for good is cheap compared with untangling a mismatched listing.

The same logic explains why buying a fresh, never-used number matters. If a seller buys codes that were already used by someone else, the product can collide with an existing listing on day one. A reliable source issues each number once and keeps a record of who it was issued to. At GTINcodes.com each number is issued only once and recorded against the buyer in our own register, which you can check on the public code check page.

How many EAN codes do I need? A worked example

The fastest way to estimate is to list every trade item, count it, and then add a buffer for what is coming in the next 12 to 18 months. Here is the method, followed by two worked examples.

The method in five steps

1. List your products as you think of them ("bamboo socks", "soy candle").
2. Multiply by every variant dimension: colours × sizes × scents × materials. Each combination you actually sell is one code.
3. Add every pack size you sell as a unit: singles, 2-packs, 3-packs, 6-packs. Each pack size of each variant is one code.
4. Add every fixed bundle you put together yourself. Each fixed combination is one code.
5. Add a buffer for planned launches, seasonal versions and product changes that will need a new code under the change rules.

Worked example 1: the GS1 sock example

GS1 Nederland's own illustration is a useful starting point. A seller offers socks in two colours (black and white) and three sizes:

• Single pairs: 2 colours × 3 sizes = 6 codes
• 3-packs of each colour and size: 2 colours × 3 sizes = 6 more codes
• Total: 12 codes

Notice that one "product" in the seller's head became twelve trade items. That multiplication is the main reason sellers underestimate their needs.

Worked example 2: a candle seller planning a year ahead

Take a small candle seller with an own webshop who also lists on a marketplace. The current range and plans look like this:

Item	Calculation	Codes
Jar candles, 4 scents, 2 sizes (small and large)	4 × 2	8
Tea lights, 2 scents, sold in 12-packs and 24-packs	2 × 2	4
Fixed gift set: three small candles (lavender, vanilla, cedar)	1 fixed combination	1
Second gift set: two large candles (citrus, cedar)	1 fixed combination	1
Autumn launch: 2 new scents in both sizes	2 × 2	4
Christmas edition: one limited scent, large size only	1	1
Planned change: small jar goes from 200 g to 180 g wax (net content change, rule 3)	6 small jars (4 existing + 2 new scents)	6
Subtotal		25
Buffer for unplanned changes (for example a gift set content swap)	about 20%	5
Total to plan for		30

A few points worth noting in this example:

• The Christmas candle is a new scent, so it is a new product (rule 1) and needs its own code, even though it is only sold for a few weeks. A seasonal sleeve on an existing candle would not need a new consumer-unit code.
• The 200 g to 180 g change hits every small jar at once. Product changes often multiply across variants in the same way the original variants did.
• If the seller later wants to supply a gift shop with outer cartons of 12 jar candles, the cartons are another packaging level. At that point, selling to physical retail, GS1 membership is the right choice anyway.
• The old 200 g small-jar codes are not handed to the new 180 g versions, and they are not given to the autumn scents either. They stay retired.

Matching your count to a package

Codes are usually sold in fixed quantities, so round up to the next package rather than buying exactly 30. Running out halfway through a launch is more disruptive than having a few spare numbers. For comparison, GS1 packages also come in fixed steps: GS1 Nederland sells annual packages of 10, 100, 1,000 and more codes, and GS1 UK's smallest plan for businesses with turnover up to £99,999 includes 10 GTIN-13s for £50 a year. Our honest comparison of GS1 membership and buying from a reseller sets out what each route costs and where each one fits. If a reseller code suits your channels, you can see the code packages and prices in our shops; the yearly protection plans also include free extra codes.

How marketplaces and channels treat variants and bundles (as of October 2026)

The "one code per trade item" rule is universal, but channels differ in what they check and which codes they accept. The table summarises the rules relevant to variants and bundles; the linked guides go into each channel in detail.

Channel	Variants	Bundles and multipacks	Which codes are accepted
Amazon	Each variation needs its own identifier	Seller-made bundles can qualify for the GTIN exemption	Codes are checked against GS1 data; for branded products use GS1, the GTIN exemption or Brand Registry
bol.com (NL/BE)	One EAN per item, shared by all sellers of that identical item	Pack sizes have their own EANs; bol groups them under one BPID	GS1-registered EAN mandatory for branded items; unbranded "not yet enforced"
Google Shopping	Each colour or size variant needs its own GTIN	Manufacturer's codes for manufacturer bundles; main product's identifiers for your own bundles	GTIN recommended where one exists; shop brands and private label can use brand + MPN
Zalando	Unique EAN per "simple" (size, colour, width)	No specific rule published	Treat as GS1 only
Kaufland	One EAN = one product page; one product under several EANs is forbidden	Each pack size has its own EAN and product page	No published GS1-only rule found
Cdiscount (FR)	Each colour needs its own EAN (conflict error otherwise)	Each product needs an EAN	No published GS1 licensee check found
eBay	Product identifiers required in many categories	"Does not apply" accepted where no EAN exists	No documented GS1 licensee check
Own webshop	Recommended per variant for feeds and stock	Recommended for fixed bundles	No requirement

Amazon

Amazon verifies product codes against the GS1 database and compares the brand you enter with the company that licensed the number from GS1. A mismatch leads to errors such as 5461 or 5462. For branded products, the realistic options are GS1 codes in your own name, a GTIN exemption, or Brand Registry. Reseller codes are only realistic for "Generic" listings, and even then they carry some risk. Variation families (a parent with child ASINs per size or colour) still need a separate identifier, or an exemption, for every child.

bol.com

bol.com states that "you may not offer identical items under different EANs", not even from different seller accounts, and that an EAN can only be used for the item it is linked to. That cuts both ways: every variant needs its own EAN, and the same item must always use the same EAN. As of October 2026, bol.com's partner help says a GS1-registered EAN is mandatory for branded items and that unregistered EANs are "not yet enforced" for unbranded items. Some third-party sources claim stricter enforcement, so check bol's page before you list. Our bol.com EAN guide covers "EAN already in use" errors and shared product pages.

Google Shopping

Google wants a distinct GTIN for every colour and size variant and says not to use one GTIN for several products in the same country and language. For own-brand and private-label goods, Google says such products "generally won't have a GTIN" and accepts brand plus MPN instead. Read GTIN for Google Shopping for when to set identifier_exists to false.

Zalando and physical retail

Zalando requires a unique, valid EAN-13 for every size, colour and width, and its guidance asks for GS1-registered codes. Supermarkets and retail chains require GS1 GTINs registered to the supplier, usually with product data in a GS1 data pool. For both, GS1 membership is the right choice, whatever the number of variants.

How to keep track of your codes: build a simple EAN register

Once you have more than a handful of variants, a code register saves you from the two classic mistakes: giving one number to two items, and losing track of which numbers are retired. A spreadsheet is enough for most small sellers.

Columns to include

Column	Why it matters
EAN (13 digits)	Store it as text so leading zeros are not dropped
Product name and variant	For example "Soy candle, lavender, large 300 g"
Your SKU	Links the EAN to your stock system; keep it in its own field
Brand	A brand change needs a new code, so record it
Net content and dimensions	Lets you check the net content and 20% rules when something changes
Pack type and quantity	Single, 3-pack, gift set, carton of 12
Bundle contents	For fixed bundles, list the EANs inside
Status and dates	Active, discontinued or retired, with dates; never reassign retired codes
Channels	Where the code is listed, so you know what to update after a change

Steps when you add or change a product

1. Decide whether it is a new trade item: a new variant, pack size or bundle, or a change that matches one of the ten rules.
2. If yes, take the next unused number from your register. Never reuse a retired one.
3. Check the number before printing. The check digit catches typing errors; you can test it with our EAN check digit calculator. Also search the marketplaces you sell on to make sure the number is not already attached to another product.
4. Generate the barcode image from the number and print it at a scannable size. Our barcode printing guide covers size, colours and quiet zones.
5. Update your register: new code active, old code marked as retired with the date, and the list of channels to update.
6. Create or update your listings. On marketplaces, a changed product with a new EAN is usually a new listing, not an edit of the old one.

Shopify and WooCommerce

Both platforms store a barcode per variant, which matches the one-code-per-variant rule. In Shopify's API version 2026-10, released on 8 September 2026, the single barcode field on a variant is replaced by a barcodes connection that holds up to 20 typed identifiers (UPC, EAN, ISBN, GTIN, ASIN), each validated against its standard, according to Shopify's developer changelog. If you use apps or feed tools that write barcodes, check that they support the new field. Two errors to watch for in any shop system: the same EAN copied into every variant, and a 13-digit EAN entered in a field labelled UPC.

The GTINcodes register is a second record next to your own. Each number you buy is registered to you, and with a protection plan the public check page shows your company name and you can download a registration certificate. That certificate is evidence of when you bought and registered the codes with GTINcodes.com, which helps if someone else lists a different product on your number. It is not a GS1 registration. See the protection plans, and for handling disputes read how to prove EAN ownership.

Common mistakes with variants, bundles and product changes

Most catalogue problems trace back to a short list of errors. Each has a simple fix.

Mistake	What happens	Fix
One EAN for all sizes or colours	Variants merge into one product page; wrong items ship; feed errors	Give every variant its own EAN
Using the single unit's EAN on a multipack	Stock and price errors; a 3-pack sold at single-unit price, or the reverse	New EAN per pack size; cover single-unit barcodes on the outer pack
Keeping the EAN after changing bundle contents	Customers receive a different set from the one described	New EAN whenever the bundle contents change
Keeping the EAN after reducing net content	Old listing data (weight, price per kg) becomes wrong	New EAN for any change in declared net content
Reusing a discontinued product's EAN	New product matched to the old page, reviews and photos; Amazon 8541/8542 errors	Retire old numbers permanently; always use an unused one
Inventing numbers or using a supplier's code for your own product	Collisions with real products; Google's "incorrect GTIN" warning	Only use numbers issued to you; Google says "do not make up or create new GTINs"
Trying other codes from the same batch after a rejection	Same rejection, more failed listings	Find the cause first (wrong code type for the channel, branded vs unbranded rule)
Different EANs for an identical item on one marketplace	Duplicate pages; possible removal on bol.com or Kaufland	One identical item, one EAN, on every channel

The last two rows are worth stressing. If a marketplace rejects your code, the cause is usually the type of code, not the specific number. Running through ten more numbers from the same batch rarely helps and can look like abuse. Check the length and check digit, check that the prefix is not a restricted range, and check whether the channel requires GS1 codes registered to you for that kind of product.

Edge cases sellers often ask about

Print-on-demand and personalised products

If every item is unique, for example a mug printed with a customer's own photo, there is no repeatable trade item to code. Google treats custom goods as a case where identifier_exists can be set to false, and Amazon's GTIN exemption covers handmade products. If you sell a fixed range of designs (design A, B and C on a white mug), each design is a repeatable variant and gets its own EAN.

Selling the same item under two brands

The brand is part of the trade item. If you sell the same physical product as "Brand X" on one channel and "Brand Y" on another, those are two trade items with two EANs. Using one code for both mixes two brands on one product page.

Regional versions

A version with a different language label or a different plug for another market is usually a different trade item if the declared information changes. bol.com, for example, groups regional versions under one BPID while each keeps its own EAN.

Spare parts and accessories

A replacement lid or a spare charger that you sell separately is its own trade item and needs its own code, even if it is identical to the part included with the main product.

Books

Books are a separate system. They use ISBNs from a national ISBN agency, and bol.com requires a separate ISBN for every edition: hardcover, paperback and e-book each get their own. Do not use a general EAN for a book.

Checklist: variants, bundles and product changes

Use this list each time you add products or change an existing one:

• Every size, colour, flavour, scent, material and capacity you sell has its own EAN.
• Every pack size (single, 2-pack, 3-pack, 12-pack) has its own EAN, per variant.
• Every fixed bundle you put together has its own EAN, and a change in its contents means a new EAN.
• Retail consumer units carry a GTIN-13 in an EAN-13 barcode; 14-digit carton codes are only for traded cases.
• Product changes are checked against the ten rules: new product, formulation, net content, 20% dimension or weight change, certification mark, brand, promotional packs (case level only), pack quantity, bundle contents and printed price.
• No reuse: retired codes stay retired. Only never-produced items can be reused, after 12 months.
• Count before you buy: (variants × pack sizes) + bundles + launches + planned changes + about 20% buffer, rounded up to the next package.
• Match the code type to the channel: GS1 for Zalando, retail chains and branded products on Amazon and bol.com; a valid, unique reseller code can work for own shops, unbranded listings and many other marketplaces.
• Keep a register with EAN, variant, SKU, brand, net content, dimensions, pack type, bundle contents, status and channels.
• Check before printing: check digit, restricted prefixes, and a marketplace search to confirm the number is not already in use.

Get the coding right at the start and every later step, from listings to stock counts to feeds, becomes easier. If you need codes for your range, use the worked example above to count them, compare the routes in our guide to getting EAN codes, and then choose a package that covers your count with room to spare.