What is the Difference Between ITF-14 and GS1-128 Barcodes?

ITF-14 and GS1-128 are types of one-dimensional (1D) barcodes widely used in the logistics industry. These linear barcodes are composed of black and white vertical lines separated by spaces, with quiet zones (blank spaces at both ends) to enhance readability by scanners. While ITF-14 and GS1-128 barcodes play crucial roles in supply chain management and logistics, they differ in structure, purpose, and application. This blog will explore these differences to understand when and where each barcode type should be used.

Introduction

Barcodes are machine-readable formats of encoding data about products being sold in the market. They have completely transformed data exchange across industries, establishing a common language of business. GS1-128 and ITF-14 barcodes are used to uniquely identify pallets, cases, shipments, and other tertiary and secondary-level units throughout the supply chain. They promote quick and easy identification of these units till they reach the distribution centre. Let’s understand both these barcodes individually -

What is the ITF-14 Barcode?
ITF-14, or ‘Interleaved 2 of 5,’ is a barcode symbology that encodes only the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) and is restricted to trade items not passing through the retail point of sale. The ITF-14 barcode format was introduced for direct printing onto corrugated boxes. It is larger than EAN/UPC barcode formats and is easily read/scanned by scanners because of its simpler pattern of bars and spaces.

Like other barcodes, the ITF-14 barcodes also encode GTIN (Global Trade Item Number). A GTIN is a unique identification number that uniquely identifies products in the market. It consists of four components - Country Code, Company Code, Product Code and Check Digit. Let’s understand each of them in detail -

Country Code: GS1 Global allocates a unique code to GS1 member organisations to uniquely identify the country of origin of the products. India has been given ‘890’ as the country code by GS1 Global; hence, all products manufactured in India have barcodes starting with ‘890’.

Company Code: It is a unique identification number provided by a GS1 member organisation to the company registered for GS1 barcodes. This number uniquely identifies the company that manufactures the products being sold.
To Note - Country Code and Company Code together form the Global Company Prefix (GCP). Once your company is registered with GS1 India for barcodes, you will be provided with this GCP number within 7-10 working days. Companies must exercise precaution while buying barcodes; only GS1 India in India is the authorised provider of barcodes starting with ‘890’; no other company can issue ‘890’ barcodes to sellers.

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Product Code: This is a unique identification number that a company provides to its products for their unique identification in the marketplace. The code usually varies depending on the company’s coding needs and the number of barcodes it is subscribed to.

Check Digit: A mathematically calculated digit which verifies the formation of the GTIN.

Only a GTIN-14 can be encoded in an ITF-14 barcode format. A GTIN-14 starts with an indicator digit; with the digits ‘0’ and ‘9’ reserved for homogeneous (fixed weight goods) and heterogeneous (variable weight goods), respectively.

GTIN-14

GTIN-14 can be created by adding indicator digits at the start of a GTIN-13/12/8 barcode. 0s/Zeroes can be added before a GTIN-13/12/8 to create a GTIN-14 (homogenous product series). Digits 1-8 can be used as an indicator digit to create GTIN-14 for various groupings of similar products (cases, pallets, boxes, etc.,) depending on the packaging level. Once you have exhausted all the indicator digits, you will have to create a new GTIN-13. While the ITF-14 barcode format appears similar in structure to other one-dimensional barcodes like EAN and UPC, there is one prominent difference. ITF-14 barcodes have a bearer bar or a thick black outer border that differentiates them from others. This bearer bar allows these barcodes to be larger and be printed directly onto boxes. Additionally, the bearer bar helps disperse pressure during the barcode printing pressure, making it easier to print them on boxes with corrugated materials.

What is the GS1-128 Barcode?

Similar to ITF-14, the GS1-128 barcode format is also reserved for higher-level packaging units, like shipments, pallets, cases, etc. A GS1-128 barcode can encode detailed information about each product being supplied in the market. It can encode details on its manufacturing, expiry date, production date, batch/lot numbers, and so on. Each of these components encoded within a GS1-128 barcode can be separated by Application Identifiers (AI).

Application Identifier (AI) is a 2,3 or 4-digit numeric prefix, written in brackets, that identifies the meaning and format of the data fields in a barcode or an RFID tag. Application Identifiers are used in barcodes that have the capacity and ability to encode more than one GS1 data field, like the GS1-128 barcode format. For every detail, GS1 has defined an Application Identifier (AI) to enable quick identification and differentiation in a barcode numbering series. These Application Identifiers are predominantly used in GS1-128 barcodes, with each barcode having the ability to carry information to the extent of 48 characters, distinguishable with the addition of an AI.

A few examples of Application Identifiers (AI) are mentioned below -

‘00’ - Serial Shipping Container Code
‘01’ - Global Trade Item Number
‘10’ - Batch Number
‘11’ – Production Date

The GS1-128 Barcode Shipping Label
The GS1-128 barcode label is used on the GS1 logistic label, which is accepted by marketplaces worldwide. This label presents information in two formats: information that is to be read by humans and information that will be read by machines. The label contains details on the manufacturing unit/supplier and the receiver of those products. It also includes SSCC encoded in a GS1-128 barcode format.

Key Differences Between ITF-14 and GS1-128 Barcodes

Now that we have understood the formation, importance and structure of ITF-14 and GS1-128 barcodes, let’s uncover the differences between both.

1. Encoding Capabilities and Use of Application Identifiers (AIs):

GS1-128: Uses Application Identifiers (AIs) to define the type of data being encoded, making it flexible for various industries and applications. Each AI corresponds to a different type of information, such as batch number (10), expiration date (17), etc.
ITF-14: Does not use AIs and is more focused on a single identifier (the GTIN). It is simpler and less flexible in terms of the types of data it encodes.

2. Readability and Scanning Requirements:
GS1-128: Generally requires a higher quality of printing and scanning equipment, as it includes additional data and often contains more complex formatting.
ITF-14: Typically requires less precise printing and can often be read from larger distances. It is designed to be more robust and resistant to damage, especially in rough environments.

3. Physical Dimensions:
GS1-128: Has more flexible sizing, and it can vary in width depending on the amount of data being encoded. It is designed to be more compact.
ITF-14: It has a fixed size and is designed to be read easily from a distance. It is typically used for carton-level labelling and hence is larger to be more visible.

4. Use in Retail vs. Logistics:
GS1-128: Commonly used in a wide range of industries, including healthcare, retail, and logistics, for various purposes like tracking serialised items or shipments.
ITF-14: Primarily used in logistics for carton-level identification, it is most commonly seen on the outer packaging of consumer goods, particularly for bulk shipping.

Conclusion

GS1-128 and ITF-14 are both barcodes required in higher-level packaging; however, they both have different purposes and provide different benefits to businesses. With the industry now shifting towards the adoption of 2D or two-dimensional barcodes, it is important to note that their usability will decrease in the near future. 2D can contain greater information in comparison to the 1D format, making its acceptance and usage in the industry inevitable.