GS1 UK provides our members with unique identifiers called Global Trade Identifiers (GTINs). GTINs can be used to identify any product or service that may be priced, ordered, or invoiced at any point in the supply chain.
GTINs are sometimes still referred to by their old names, EAN or UPC.
If there is a need to distinguish one product from another, the products should have different GTINs. This could be by attributes including style, colour, flavour, size and functionality.
Each packaging level is identified by a unique GTIN. For example, a brand would use a different GTIN to uniquely identify their individual unit, four-pack unit and their case along with any other product configurations that will move through the supply chain.
GTINs are used anywhere that a product or service needs to be identified. This includes the internet, business transactions, IT systems, the physical product and more.