What Is a UPC Barcode?

Everything you need to know about UPC barcodes — how they work, what the numbers mean, and how barcode scanner apps use them.

Published January 20, 2024

The History of the UPC Barcode

The Universal Product Code (UPC) was invented in 1973 and first scanned on a pack of Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum at a Marsh supermarket in Troy, Ohio on June 26, 1974. It was created to solve the problem of slow, error-prone manual checkout in grocery stores. The barcode system spread rapidly through retail, and today virtually every packaged consumer product has a UPC. The standard is now managed by GS1, a global non-profit organization.

How a UPC Barcode Works

A UPC-A barcode consists of 12 digits encoded as a pattern of black and white bars. A laser scanner reads the pattern by measuring the width of the bars and spaces. The 12 digits break down as follows: the first digit is a prefix indicating the type of product (0, 1, 6, 7, 8 are standard; 2 is store-specific; 3 is pharmaceutical; 5 is coupons). The next five digits are the manufacturer code, assigned by GS1. The following five digits are the product code, assigned by the manufacturer. The final digit is a check digit calculated from the other 11 to detect scanning errors.

UPC vs EAN vs QR Code

The UPC-A is a 12-digit North American standard. The EAN-13 (International Article Number) is a 13-digit version used internationally — a UPC-A is actually a subset of EAN-13 with a leading zero. EAN-8 is a shorter version for small packages. QR codes are two-dimensional codes that can store much more data than barcodes, including URLs, and are commonly used for marketing and restaurant menus. Most modern barcode scanner apps, including Avo, can read UPC-A, UPC-E, EAN-8, EAN-13, and QR codes.

How Avo Scanner Uses UPC Barcodes

When you scan a product with Avo Scanner, the app reads the UPC barcode and instantly looks up the product in our database of millions of food items. We match the barcode to detailed product information including the ingredient list, nutritional data, certifications (organic, non-GMO), and our proprietary health score. The barcode ensures we retrieve information for the exact product variant — since the same brand can have very different formulations for different sizes or regional versions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a barcode and a UPC?

A barcode is the general term for any machine-readable pattern of parallel lines. A UPC (Universal Product Code) is a specific barcode standard used for consumer products in North America. All UPCs are barcodes, but not all barcodes are UPCs — other types include EAN, Code 39, and QR codes.

Can I look up a product using just its barcode number?

Yes. You can search for any product on Avo Scanner by typing or scanning the barcode number. Our database maps UPC codes to detailed product pages with ingredient analysis and health scores.

Why does the same product sometimes have different barcodes?

Manufacturers assign new barcodes when they change a product's formulation, size, or packaging in a meaningful way. A 12 oz can and a 24 oz can of the same soup will have different UPCs. Similarly, if a manufacturer changes an ingredient, they may issue a new UPC to distinguish the new formulation from the old one.

Put this knowledge to use

Scan any product barcode with Avo for an instant health score and ingredient analysis.

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