// Key takeaways
- ITF-14 carries only the case GTIN; batch and dates need GS1-128 or a printed code.
- For cases scanned in distribution, GS1 sets an X-dimension of 0.495 to 1.016 mm, bars at least 31.75 mm high and a 10X quiet zone each side.
- GS1 requires a bearer bar unless it is not technically feasible; plate-printed bearer bars are 4.83 mm thick.
- The bottom of the bars should sit about 32 mm above the base of the case, at least 19 mm from a vertical edge.
- A reader at the case packer catches unreadable codes and, if it knows the run, the right-looking code for the wrong product.
What does an ITF-14 barcode carry?
ITF-14 carries the GTIN of a trade item grouping, such as a case of 12 bottles. In ITF-14, the Application Identifier for the GTIN is implied, because the symbol supports only that one number (GS1 General Specifications). It cannot carry a batch, a best-before date or a serial number; when those must be in the barcode, the case uses GS1-128 (chapter 3). GS1 South Africa groups GS1-128 and ITF-14 as the barcodes used to track items through the supply chain (GS1 South Africa, barcode types).
The 14-digit number is usually a GTIN-14. GS1 builds it from an indicator digit, the GTIN of the contained unit without its check digit, and a new check digit. Indicators 1 to 8 create up to eight groupings of the same item; indicator 9 is reserved for variable measure items (GS1 General Specifications, Table 2-17).
Worked example (GS1’s own numbers). The unit has GTIN 0614141123452. Drop its check digit (2), put indicator 1 in front, and calculate a new check digit over the 13 digits 1061414112345: multiply alternately by 3 and 1 from the left, which gives 3 + 0 + 18 + 1 + 12 + 1 + 12 + 1 + 3 + 2 + 9 + 4 + 15 = 81. The next multiple of ten is 90, so the check digit is 9 and the case GTIN is 10614141123459 (GS1 General Specifications, 7.9.1). The case number is therefore not the unit number: the product master and the line reader need both.
| Symbol on a case | What it carries | How it is applied | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITF-14 | GTIN of the case only (the AI is implied) | Direct print on corrugated board is common | Bearer bar round the symbol |
| GS1-128 | GTIN plus Application Identifiers such as batch and dates | Usually a printed label | More data, longer symbol |
| EAN-13 on a case | GTIN-13 when the case is also sold at the till | Printed or labelled | Only if the case is a consumer unit |
How big must an ITF-14 be?
The GS1 symbol specification tables set the size by where the case is scanned. Cases scanned in general distribution, which covers most retail supply chains, use table 2; cases that are never scanned outside the plant may use the smaller sizes in table 4 (GS1 General Specifications, 5.12.3).
| Parameter | GS1 value for ITF-14 | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| X-dimension (narrow bar) | Minimum 0.495 mm, target 0.495 mm, maximum 1.016 mm | Cases scanned in general distribution (symbol specification table 2) |
| X-dimension, cases never scanned in distribution | Minimum 0.250 mm, target and maximum 0.495 mm | Symbol specification table 4 |
| Minimum bar height | 31.75 mm (bars only, without text or bearer bar) | General distribution; 12.70 mm, then no less than 5.08 mm, only if the case is physically too small |
| Quiet Zone | 10X on the left and on the right | All ITF-14 symbols |
| Wide-to-narrow ratio | Target 2.5:1, acceptable 2.25:1 to 3:1 | All ITF-14 symbols |
| Direct print on corrugate | X below 0.635 mm SHOULD NOT be printed directly on corrugate with plate-based processes | Flexo and other plate printing |
| Minimum print quality | 1.5/10/660 on labels (X 0.495 mm); 0.5/20/660 printed directly on corrugate or on labels with X of 0.635 mm or more | Grade / aperture in mils / wavelength in nm |
The width follows from the X-dimension. GS1 gives the formula W = (P(4N+6)+N+6)X + 2Q, with P the number of character pairs (7 for 14 digits), N the wide-to-narrow ratio and Q the quiet zone (GS1 General Specifications, 5.3.2.2). The examples below use that formula; they are arithmetic for planning artwork, not a substitute for the printer’s own trials.
| Example X-dimension | Bars and spaces (120.5 X) | Two Quiet Zones (2 × 10X) | Total width |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.495 mm (minimum for distribution) | 59.6 mm | 9.9 mm | about 69.5 mm |
| 0.635 mm (smallest GS1 advises for plate printing on corrugate) | 76.5 mm | 12.7 mm | about 89.2 mm |
| 1.016 mm (maximum; GS1’s own worked example) | 122.4 mm | 20.3 mm | 142.75 mm |
The grade notation reads as minimum grade, measuring aperture in thousandths of an inch and light wavelength. The 0.5/20/660 minimum for direct print on corrugate is lower than 1.5/10/660 because brown board limits the contrast that can be achieved (GS1 General Specifications, table 2 note). Grading itself is done with a verifier to ISO/IEC 15416 (ISO/IEC 15416:2025).
What is the bearer bar, and why is it required?
The bearer bar is the frame or bars printed round the ITF-14 symbol. GS1 gives two reasons: it equalises the pressure of the printing plate over the whole symbol, and it reduces misreads or short scans when a skewed scan line enters or leaves the code through its top or bottom edge. It is mandatory unless it is not technically feasible, in which case reading reliability is reduced (GS1 General Specifications, 5.3.2.4).
- Plate printing (flexo on corrugate): a constant 4.83 mm thick frame that surrounds the symbol and its quiet zones, touching the top and bottom of the bars.
- Printing without plates (thermal labels, inkjet): at least twice the narrow bar width, at the top and bottom only; the vertical sides are optional.
- Text: at least 1.02 mm between the bottom of the bearer bar and the top of the human-readable digits.
A case coder that prints ITF-14 with a high-resolution inkjet onto plain board is printing without plates, so the thinner top and bottom bars meet the rule. What matters on the line is that they are actually there on every case.
Where does the ITF-14 go on the case?
GS1 asks for barcodes on distribution units to be upright, in picket-fence orientation, on the sides of the unit and away from vertical edges where they get damaged. For cartons and outer cases the target is the bottom of the bars 32 mm above the natural base, with the barcode and its quiet zones at least 19 mm from any vertical edge (GS1 General Specifications, 6.7.1.2). GS1 recommends repeating the barcode on a second side when the print process makes it cost effective (GS1 General Specifications, 6.7.2).
Swipe sideways to see the whole drawing →
Shallow trays need a different layout. Below 50 mm of height, GS1 first allows the digits beside the barcode instead of under it; below 32 mm, the barcode may go on top of the pack, bars perpendicular to the shortest side and at least 19 mm from any edge (GS1 General Specifications, 6.7.1.3). For a line reader this decides where it is mounted: side-reading for cases, top-reading for low trays.
Why do ITF-14 barcodes print badly on corrugated board?
Board absorbs ink and moves under the print head or plate, so bars spread, voids appear over the flutes and contrast drops on brown kraft. These faults show up as cases that read slowly or not at all at the retailer’s distribution centre, often weeks after packing. The table sets out the usual faults, what causes them and what the reader on the line sees.
| Fault seen on the case | Usual cause | What the line reader reports | Where it is fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bars spread, spaces closed up | Ink gain on absorbent board; X-dimension too small for the plate process | Slow or failed reads; decode margin falls | Larger X, plate bar-width reduction, ink and pressure settings |
| White voids across bars | Board flutes and washboarding under the plate | Intermittent no-reads | Bearer bar, print direction, board grade |
| Low contrast | Brown kraft background, light or reddish ink | No-reads under red light | Darker ink, white print panel or label |
| Short read / wrong length | Missing or broken bearer bar; skewed scan leaves through the top or bottom | A shorter code decoded, or a misread | Restore the bearer bar; length check in the reader |
| Quiet zone printed over | Graphics, flap or tape too close | No-reads at the distribution centre | Artwork: keep 10X clear on both sides |
| Right print, wrong number | Wrong plate, wrong label or wrong recipe after a changeover | Reads perfectly: only a GTIN comparison catches it | Recipe-linked expected GTIN in the reader |
Two faults deserve a note. A case can carry a perfectly printed ITF-14 with the wrong number, which no print check catches. And a unit barcode visible through a shrink-wrapped tray or open case can be read instead of the case barcode: GS1’s rule is that barcodes for different GTINs must never be visible on one item, and that unit barcodes inside a larger trade item should be obscured (GS1 General Specifications, 6.2.1 and 5.12.2.5).
How is an ITF-14 checked at the case packer?
A fixed code reader sits after the case packer or case coder, where cases pass one by one with the coded face towards it. The useful checks, in order:
- Read: every case gives a decode; a no-read is rejected, not passed.
- Length and symbology: the result is a 14-digit ITF-14 with a valid check digit, which also catches short scans.
- Content: the GTIN equals the case GTIN for the product running, sent by the PLC, the recipe or the MES at each changeover.
- Trend: many readers report a read-quality or decode-margin value. A falling value is an early warning to clean the coder or check the board, before the code fails at the customer. It is not an ISO grade.
- Reject confirmed: the station proves the failed case left the line.
Carton and pallet verification covers the station in full, and choosing a code reader covers the reader. For the formal grade, many South African retailers require a GS1 South Africa barcode test report as part of product listing, tested to ISO 15416 methods (GS1 South Africa verification service).
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a best-before date in an ITF-14 barcode?
No. ITF-14 carries only the case GTIN. A date and batch in barcode form need a GS1-128 barcode with the right Application Identifiers, or they are printed as text and checked by OCR.
Why does our ITF-14 read on the line but fail at the distribution centre?
The line reader may be close, well lit and tolerant; the distribution centre scans at distance and speed. A code that reads only on a good day has a print quality problem, which a verifier grades and the coder or board settings fix.
Is the ITF-14 number the same as the EAN-13 on the product inside?
No. The case GTIN-14 is built from the unit GTIN with an indicator digit in front and a new check digit, so the last digit usually differs too. A line reader set to expect the unit number will reject every good case.
What is the minimum ITF-14 size for corrugated cases?
For cases scanned in general distribution, GS1 sets an X-dimension of at least 0.495 mm and bars at least 31.75 mm high. For plate printing directly on corrugate it advises an X-dimension of at least 0.635 mm.
Sources
- GS1 General Specifications, Release 26.0 (Jan 2026), GS1 South Africa copy: 2.1 (Table 2-17), 5.3.2, 5.12.3.2, 5.12.3.4, 6.2.1, 6.7.1, 7.9.1 (standard, checked 2026-10-27)
- GS1 South Africa: barcode verification service (standards body page, checked 2026-10-27)
- GS1 South Africa: barcode types (standards body page, checked 2026-10-27)
- ISO/IEC 15416:2025, bar code print quality test specification for linear symbols (ISO catalogue page)