How to Position your Barcode on the Product

Posted by Teachable Tech | Last Updated: October 10, 2022

Placement of your barcode on a package can affect how well scanners read it. In general, for items that are scanned at the checkout, you would place the barcode in the lower right corner of the back of the package. To help ensure a clean scan, we always advise staying away from edge of packaging and leaving enough space around the barcode.

Make sure the barcode is positioned on a flat surface without touching the edge or crease of the packaging in any way. The barcode should not have any corner wrapping. Staples shouldn't be able to read the barcode. On paper with perforations, seams, folds, or absorbency, do not print.

We are going to break it down into three main areas for easier understanding, such as pallets, outer packages, and consumer packages.

Barcode Placement for Consumer Packages

There can be only one barcode per package.
The bottom of the package should not have a barcode.
Put the barcode low and preferably to the right on the back of the package.
If at all possible, position the barcode between 8 and 100 millimeters from edge of the package.

Instructions for Special Consumer Packages

Cans and Jar Items: Cans and other cylindrical objects with a diameter of under 12 cm. It is advised to position the barcode so that it looks more like a ladder than a fence.
Composite Item: Barcodes of the products packed inside of a package should not be readable when the package contains multiple consumer goods. Hide the barcodes by packing the included items or the packaging so that the barcodes are facing inward and hidden.
Bags and other Soft Packaging: Barcode should be put in the middle of the bag, where there is the least chance of wrinkles.
Bottle: Either the main label or a separate label on the back should have a barcode. Never around the bottleneck on a banner.

Barcode Placement for Outer Packages

Barcode must be printed on at least one side of the outer package.
The bottom of the package cannot contain the barcode.
Two sides should be marked if the package can't be turned while on a pallet.
If a package in the grocery industry has a barcode on only one side, the pallet must be stacked with the packages so that one of the pallet labels is on the same side.
Barcode on an outer package must be marked to be readable even when the package is on a pallet.

Barcode Placement for Pallets

In the manufacturing industry, pallets must have labels on two adjacent sides: the long side to the right of the short side and the short side itself. No regulation specifies whether the labels should be positioned to the left, in the middle, or to the right on these sides.

At least 50 mm should separate the label from the edge.
The outer packaging marking from under the label must be visible.
Barcodes must be at least 400 millimeters and not more than 800 millimeters from the bottom of the label.
Before stacking stretch-wrapped pallets to create a transport-optimized pallet, place the label on the outside of the stretch wrap for one-item pallets and layer stretch-wrapped pallets.
If the layer pallets are not stretch-wrapped individually, the labels should be attached directly to the layer pallet or, if several layer pallets are plasticized together, placed in a plastic sleeve on top of the pallet.
If there is a lack of space on, for example, layer pallets, the labels can be divided so that they are landscaped with the text on the left and the barcodes to the right. Remember that text and barcodes on labels should be the same size and quality as other labels.