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What Is a 14-Digit Barcode?
14 digits, used on shipping cartons, not retail units. Walmart, Costco, Carrefour all require these on inbound cases. The format is ITF-14 (Interleaved 2 of 5) encoding a GTIN-14.
A 14-digit barcode is a GTIN-14, almost always rendered as ITF-14 (Interleaved 2 of 5). It identifies a logistics unit — a case, carton, or pallet of retail products. The 14-digit length comprises 1 indicator digit + 12-13 base GTIN digits + 1 Mod 10 check digit. Wholesale buyers like Walmart, Costco, and Carrefour mandate ITF-14 on every shipping carton at receiving.
Internally, every GTIN is stored as 14 digits — retailer systems zero-pad UPC-A and EAN-13 to 14 digits. So in some sense, every retail SKU has a corresponding 14-digit representation. But the 14-digit barcode you see on shipping cartons is a distinct identifier from the retail unit's UPC-A or EAN-13, with its own check digit.
Structure of the 14 digits
Position 1: indicator digit (0-8 chosen by the brand; 9 reserved for variable-measure). Positions 2-13: the underlying retail GTIN, zero-padded if shorter than 12 digits. Position 14: Mod 10 check digit computed from positions 1-13. The indicator digit lets one retail SKU have multiple shipping configurations — indicator 1 might mean '24-pack carton', indicator 2 might mean '48-pack carton'.
ITF-14 (Interleaved 2 of 5) is the physical barcode
ITF-14 is the symbology that encodes a 14-digit GTIN. Visible features: thick black bars with a heavy black border ('bearer bar'), 5-inch nominal width × 1.25 inch tall. Designed for high-contrast printing direct on corrugated cardboard at warehouse receiving distances. Always shows the 14-digit number readably below the bars.
Why retailers require it on cartons
ITF-14 lets warehouse receiving scan a whole case at once and credit the proper SKU at the right pack quantity. Without it, every case must be opened to scan the retail UPC inside — physically impossible at supply-chain scale. Walmart, Costco, Carrefour, Tesco, Loblaws all explicitly require ITF-14 on inbound cartons; missing it triggers chargebacks.
Where you see 14-digit barcodes
Outer shipping cartons (the brown cardboard boxes products arrive in). Pallet labels in distribution centers. Costco club-pack outer wraps. Walmart and Sam's Club inbound cases. Pharmaceutical wholesale shipping units. Books in case quantities to bookstores. NOT on individual retail units — those carry the retail UPC-A or EAN-13 in 12 or 13 digits.
FAQ
Is a 14-digit barcode an ITF-14?
Yes — a 14-digit barcode is a GTIN-14 rendered as the ITF-14 symbology. The number is the data; ITF-14 is the visual format. Other rare symbologies can encode 14 digits, but practically every 14-digit barcode you'll encounter is ITF-14.
Can I just zero-pad my UPC-A to make a 14-digit barcode?
Sort of — that gives you a GTIN-14 storage form (indicator digit 0), but retailer systems expect a real case configuration with indicator 1-8. A case ITF-14 should use a different indicator digit per pack quantity (1 for 12-pack, 2 for 24-pack, etc.) so retailer ordering systems can distinguish case configurations.
Generate an ITF-14?
Use upcgen.com/tools/itf-14-generator to build the GTIN-14 from your retail UPC/EAN + indicator digit, or upcgen.com/generators/itf-14 to render the barcode image from a 14-digit input.
Why is my retailer rejecting my ITF-14?
Common reasons: (1) wrong indicator digit for the pack configuration ordered, (2) check digit mismatch, (3) print quality too low for warehouse scanners (need grade C or better), (4) bearer bar missing or too thin, (5) symbol height less than the GS1-required 1 inch minimum.
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