All there is to know about ITF-14 Bar codes
ITF-14 bar codes also known as Case bar codes are fourteen-digit long and used for bulk packaging. When you have a retail store that is going to start selling your products you will be required to place either a UPC (Universal Product Code) or EAN (European Article Number) onto your individual products but you may also be required to purchase the ITF-14 format to be used in the receiving area when your products are placed into bulk cartons or on pallets to be unpacked for sale on the shelves inside the store.
They can look a bit different to the bar codes that you place on your products, they are created in the Interleaved 2 of 5 symbology and they are usually surrounded by a thick black border called a Bearer Bar, the reason this bar is placed around it is for scanner reliability so that the scanner has to be held at the correct position in order for the code to be scanned, if the scanner scans through the thick bearer bars then the scanner will reflect an error, this eliminates incorrect scanning. The Bearer bars also helps with the pressure that is exerted when they are printed on a printing plate, a lot of pressure is exerted, and the bars help equalize it.
Image Source: Freepik
You will be required to have EAN bar codes before you are able to acquire ITF-14 bar codes which we can provide for you at https://www.sabarcodes.co.za/buy-barcodes.html, reason for this is that the bar codes are created using the EAN thirteen digit number. A number is added to the beginning of the EAN and the check digit removed so that the new correct check digit can be calculated. What is a check digit you may ask? A check digit is the very last number and this number is calculated from the other twelve numbers that make up your bar codes, this number ensures that they are correct. You will be able to find many free online Check Digit Calculators which you can use to double-check your check digit on if you would like to. But rest assured any GS1 format purchased bar codes will always be in the correct format and have the correct check digit.
If you perhaps need to have a mixed carton or pallet delivered to a specific store that do not all contain the same products with the same EAN or UPC on each product you will then need to have unique ITF-14 bar codes that are used purely for these purposes. It will be created using a completely different first digit than all your other ones and the store will be very careful to load this in as such so that they are aware that it is a mixed pallet or carton being brought in. Please let us know if this is what you require when purchasing yours as we follow a different procedure for these types of bar codes. Therefore, always be 100% certain of your specific store’s requirements and what formats you will need, pass that information onto us and we will ensure you receive your bar codes swiftly.
They are not only used in retail stores they are also used in the logistics and shipping industry. They are the preferred format as well as Serial Shipping Container Bar Codes Wikipedia as they are the best suited for printing directly onto materials such as corrugated steel and boxes. Their size also makes it easier to be scanned from a distance. We prefer printing ours on 100x49mm self-adhesive labels. It is a good size for scanning and printing as well. In some countries, they even refer to them as Shipping container codes. If you use a shipping container code on a pallet of variable products then you are not able to use that same one again for at least a year or until that pallet is no longer in use and these codes are sometimes 18 digits long, it becomes a little more complicated when you have variables in the contents of your pallet or container. When placing your code onto your boxes to be packed onto the pallets to be transported from your depot we like to advise you to always place the images in a similar place on the boxes to make it easier for scanning, facing outwards so that they are all visible to the eye without having to unpack the pallet. But at the same time ensuring that they are not placed too close to the edges, the recommended distance from the edges of the shipping box or carton is 32mm.
Therefore, we are sure you have deduced that the purpose of this format to be able to tally and check-in bulk stock in a timely and straight forward manner. Warehouses and shipping yards run of on very tight time strains and having a source such as bar codes that is able to record exactly what is inside a box or container without having to physically check each and everyone is ideal and as we always say reduces human error.
At SA Barcodes we can provide you with all the retail bar codes that you may require. to be used in South Africa and worldwide. When you purchase your bar codes from us we will also include a spreadsheet listing each of your EAN and alongside it the corresponding ITF-14, so there has to be no uncertainty as to which one to use, as well as all your scannable high-resolution images ready to be printed and placed onto your cartons. We are a tight-knit team and enjoy interacting with our customers so please do not hesitate at any time to contact us if you need some assurance or guidance or perhaps have some questions regarding your registration and purchase requirements.
