How to Check Bar Codes With Numbers

Check a bar code with the numbers printed underneath it.

When you buy a product at a department store or supermarket, the cashier scans the bar code printed on the item's packaging to identify it and find the price in the store's database. When the scanner isn't working, or if the bar code is damaged, you may sometimes see the cashier type in the number printed directly underneath the bar code pattern to look it up. Bar codes, also referred to as Universal Product Code or Global Trade Item Numbers, are administered by GS1. You can easily check bar codes by their numbers in the GS1 database or the UPC database.

Instructions

Identify a Product's Manufacturer

1. Go to the GS1 "Search By GTIN" website (see Resources).

2. Type the number printed underneath the item's bar code into the "Global Trade Item Number" box.

3. Click on "Search." The manufacturer's name and contact information will appear.

Identify a Product

1. Go to the UPC Database Item Lookup website (see Resources).

2. Type the number printed underneath an item's bar code into the "Look Up UPC" box.

3. Click on the "Look Up UPC" link. The item's name and description will appear.

References

• Stanford University: Brief History of the Bar Code
• GS1: What's In a Bar Code?
• Adams: Bar Code FAQ

Resources

• GS1: Search by GTIN
• UPC Database: UPC Database Item Lookup