GS1-128
Formerly UCC/EAN-128
What is GS1-128?
GS1-128 is a 1D barcode symbology built on the Code 128 character set, extended with a special Function Code 1 (FNC1) character that signals the data inside follows GS1 standards. It is the workhorse of logistics - the barcode you find on shipping labels, pallet labels, and carton markings throughout the global supply chain.
Unlike a simple retail barcode that carries only a GTIN , GS1-128 uses Application Identifiers (AIs) to pack multiple fields into a single barcode: product code, serial number, batch/lot, expiry date, weight, ship-to location, and more. This multi-field structure makes it the 1D barcode most comparable to RFID, where EPC tags similarly carry structured, multi-field data.
Used for: Shipping and receiving, warehouse management, pallet and case labelling, healthcare packaging, food traceability, and as the human-readable companion to RFID in dual-technology environments.
Application Identifiers
Application Identifiers are numeric prefixes that tell the scanner what type of data follows. A single GS1-128 barcode can concatenate several AIs, separated by FNC1 or Group Separator characters. The table below lists the key AIs and their EPC equivalents – see the full AI reference for the complete list.
| AI | Name | Data | EPC equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
(00) | SSCC | 18-digit Serial Shipping Container Code | SSCC-96 |
(01) | GTIN | 14-digit Global Trade Item Number | SGTIN-96 / SGTIN-198 |
(10) | Batch/Lot | Alphanumeric, up to 20 characters | No direct EPC field |
(17) | Expiry date | 6 digits (YYMMDD) | No direct EPC field |
(21) | Serial number | Alphanumeric, up to 20 characters | Combined with (01), maps to the SGTIN serial field |
(253) | GDTI | Global Document Type Identifier | GDTI-96 / GDTI-174 |
(414) | GLN | 13-digit Global Location Number | SGLN-96 / SGLN-195 |
(8003) | GRAI | Global Returnable Asset Identifier | GRAI-96 / GRAI-170 |
(8004) | GIAI | Global Individual Asset Identifier | GIAI-96 / GIAI-202 |
(8017) | GSRNP | Global Service Relation Number - Provider | GSRNP-96 |
(8018) | GSRN | Global Service Relation Number - Recipient | GSRN-96 |
How GS1-128 relates to EPC/RFID
GS1-128 is the 1D barcode most comparable to RFID because both carry multi-field, structured data. A GS1-128 label with AI (01) + AI (21) encodes exactly the same logical information as an SGTIN EPC tag - a GTIN plus a serial number. The difference is the carrier: ink-on-paper versus a radio-frequency chip.
In dual-technology environments (common in warehouse receiving), a pallet carries both a GS1-128 barcode and an RFID tag. The barcode serves as the fallback - scannable by any basic reader - while the RFID tag enables bulk, line-of-sight-free reads. The AI-to-EPC mapping table above shows how each barcode field translates to its EPC scheme counterpart.
Note that some AIs, such as (10) Batch/Lot and (17) Expiry date, have no direct EPC field. This data is typically stored in the RFID tag's user memory bank or managed in the backend system rather than the EPC identifier itself.
Where GS1-128 is used
GS1-128 dominates logistics labelling. Key applications include:
- Shipping and receiving - SSCC labels on pallets and cases for advance ship notices (ASN)
- Warehouse management - location labels, pick labels, and inventory tracking
- Healthcare - unit-of-use labelling with GTIN, lot, expiry, and serial
- Food traceability - batch/lot and best-before dates on trade units
- Retail distribution - case-level identification for cross-docking and store replenishment