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. EU Digital Passport Processor uses your GTIN to build a GS1 Digital Link URL — the QR code format referenced in EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542.

Why does EU Digital Passport Processor 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:

https://eudigitalpassportprocessor.com/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.

Common mistakes

A common mistake is entering a 13-digit EAN-13 without the leading zero. Pad it to 14 digits:

EAN-13 (from barcode):  5012345678900
GTIN-14 (enter this):  05012345678900   # prepend leading zero

EU Digital Passport Processor 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.