What Is a GTIN and Where Do I Find Mine?
What is a GTIN?
A GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) is a 14-digit identifier assigned by GS1 — the international standards organisation that manages barcodes. Your GTIN uniquely identifies your product in the global supply chain.
GTINs are used on standard barcodes (EAN-13, UPC-A) on consumer products. DPP Cloud uses your GTIN to build a GS1 Digital Link URL — the QR code format referenced in EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542.
Why does DPP Cloud require a GTIN?
The EU Battery Regulation mandates GS1 Digital Link as the QR code standard for Digital Product Passports. A GS1 Digital Link URL looks like:
GS1 Digital Link URL format
https://dppcloud.co.uk/01/09501234500003/21/PP-2026-ABCD↑ GTIN (14 digits) ↑ Passport number
Where /01/ is the GS1 Application Identifier for GTIN and /21/ is the serial number (your passport number). This format gives your battery label a permanent, resolver-independent identity. If you ever change DPP providers, only the resolver record is updated — the printed label never changes.
Where do I find my GTIN?
- Your GS1 account: Log in at gs1uk.org (UK) or your national GS1 organisation. GTINs are listed under your company prefix.
- Your product packaging: The 13-digit EAN-13 barcode on your product is your GTIN padded to 14 digits with a leading zero.
- Your ERP system: GTINs are typically stored in product master data in SAP, Oracle, or similar systems.
How do I get a GTIN if I don't have one?
Register a GS1 company prefix at gs1uk.org/get-a-barcode. The process takes approximately 10 minutes. GS1 UK membership starts from £131/year and gives you the right to assign GTINs to your products.
Once a passport is activated and the label is printed, the GTIN cannot be changed without reprinting the label. Verify your 14-digit GTIN before activating.
Common mistakes
A common mistake is entering a 13-digit EAN-13 without the leading zero. Pad it to 14 digits:
Padding an EAN-13 to GTIN-14
EAN-13 (from barcode): 5012345678900GTIN-14 (enter this): 05012345678900 # prepend leading zero
DPP Cloud validates the GTIN check digit and shows an error if the number fails validation. A draft passport can have its GTIN corrected at any time — the restriction only applies after activation.
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EU Battery Regulation compliance — 18 February 2027 deadline.