What kind of barcode do I need?
There are two main retail barcode formats. EANs (European Article Numbers) are used internationally. UPCs (Universal Product Codes) are the most commonly used barcodes in the United States and Canada. Most retailers will accept both EAN and UPC codes, however, if you are planning on selling your products in the United States or Canada, a UPC code might be the best choice for you.
EAN barcodes can be created by prefixing a 12-digit UPC number with a 0 to create a 13-digit number, as shown above. The bars remain identical regardless of format.