How to Get a Barcode for Your Products: 20 FMCG Barcode Questions Answered

Short answer: if you want to sell an FMCG product in supermarkets, chain stores, e-commerce or quick commerce, you need a barcode on the pack, and you need a separate barcode for every flavour, size and variant. Below, Rajkaran Bansal of QuickBarcode answers the 20 questions brand owners ask us most often, from how many barcodes to buy, to barcode size, colour, stickers, QR codes and GS1 “890” numbers.

Quick answers: all 20 questions at a glance

#	Question	Short answer
1	Do I need a barcode for my FMCG product?	Yes, if you want to sell in big or medium stores, online or on quick commerce.
2	How many barcodes do I need for flavours or sizes?	One barcode per variant: every flavour, size and pack weight.
3	Same barcode for different products with the same MRP?	No. Same MRP does not matter, each product needs its own barcode.
4	I use common packaging for many products. Same barcode?	No. Use barcode stickers or print the barcode with a batch coding machine.
5	My packaging is already printed. What now?	Apply barcode stickers, or print the barcode on the pack with a batch coding machine.
6	Can I use a QR code instead of a barcode for billing?	No. Most store scanners read barcodes only. Use a QR code in addition, for information.
7	Can I print the barcode in my packaging colour?	Only if the colour is dark and the background is light, with strong contrast.
8	What is the ideal barcode size?	Bar height at least 2 cm and width at least 2.5–3 cm.
9	New packaging design, same product. Same barcode?	Yes. A design change alone does not need a new barcode.
10	I changed my manufacturer. New barcode?	No. Keep the barcode, but update the manufacturer address on the pack.
11	Can the barcode be a sticker instead of printed?	Yes, most retailers accept stickers. Check if a specific retailer requires printing.
12	Can I move a discontinued product’s barcode to a new product?	Not advisable. The old product stays listed in many databases and online listings.
13	Can I remove the number below the bars?	No. Shops type in the number when the bars do not scan.
14	Black pack: can I print white bars on black?	No. Reversed barcodes do not scan reliably. Use dark bars on a light patch.
15	How do I show multiple manufacturers on one pack?	Use a dynamic QR code that lists all manufacturer details and can be edited later.
16	Does QuickBarcode provide GS1 registration or 890 barcodes?	No. We provide unique, check-digit-verified EAN-13/UPC barcodes, not GS1 registration.
17	Do retail stores accept only GS1 barcodes?	Mostly no, in our experience. Confirm with your specific retailer.
18	Can I sell online and on quick commerce with these barcodes?	Yes, our clients sell on major e-commerce and quick commerce platforms.
19	Is there an annual fee at QuickBarcode?	No. It is a one-time payment with no renewal or subscription.
20	Does an 890 barcode mean “Made in India”?	No. 890 only shows the GS1 registration was taken in India.

Do you need a barcode, and how many?

1. Do I need a barcode for my FMCG product?

Yes, as soon as you take your product to market. Small kirana shops may not ask for one, but large stores and supermarket chains will, and medium-sized stores are also moving to barcode billing. Adding the barcode to your packaging now is the better decision: if you add it later, you will have to change your printing cylinder and packaging, which costs extra.

2. How many barcodes do I need if I have different flavours or variants?

You need one barcode for every variant. Whether the difference is weight (50 g, 100 g, 250 g) or flavour (A, B, C), each one gets its own barcode. For example, 3 flavours in 2 pack sizes = 6 barcodes.

3. Can I use the same barcode for different products with the same MRP?

No. Even if different flavours have the same quantity and the same MRP, each needs a separate barcode. With one shared barcode, the retailer’s billing software cannot tell which flavour sold, so they would have to count their stock manually.

4. I use common packaging for different products. Can they all have the same barcode?

No. If you use one printed pack for several products to save packaging cost, don’t print the barcode on the pack. Instead, apply the correct barcode to each product as a sticker, or print it on the pack with a batch coding machine.

Printing barcodes on packaging: size, colour and stickers

5. My packaging is already printed. What are my options?

You don’t need to reprint. You can either stick a barcode label on each pack or print the barcode on the existing packaging using a batch coding machine.

7. Can I print the barcode in my packaging colour instead of black?

Only if your packaging colour is dark. A scanner needs strong contrast between the bars and the background. Light-coloured bars on a white background will not scan. Dark blue, dark green or dark brown bars on a white or very light background usually work. Avoid red, orange and yellow bars: most scanners use red light, so these colours become invisible to them.

8. What is the ideal size for a barcode on FMCG packaging?

• Height of the bars: at least 2 cm.
• Width (first bar to last bar): at least 2.5 cm to 3 cm.

At this size the barcode scans reliably. For reference, the standard full-size EAN-13 is about 3.7 cm wide and 2.6 cm high including the numbers. Don’t shrink the barcode below the sizes above, and don’t cut the bars short to fit a small pack.

11. Can I apply the barcode as a sticker instead of printing it on the packaging?

Yes. Most retailers accept barcode stickers. If a particular retailer insists that the barcode is printed directly on the pack, discuss it with them before supplying.

13. Can I remove the number below the barcode lines?

No. Always print both the bars and the number. The bars represent that number, but if the bars fade or don’t scan, the cashier types the number into the system to find your product.

14. My packaging is black. Can I make the barcode background black and the lines white?

No. A reversed barcode (white bars on black) confuses scanners. The scanner reads light reflected from the light spaces, so reversing the colours stops it scanning properly. On a black pack, print a white box and put normal black bars inside it.

Barcodes vs QR codes

6. Can I use a QR code instead of a barcode for retail billing?

Not reliably. Many retailers only have barcode scanners at the billing counter, not QR scanners. That is why even the biggest brands still use a barcode for billing. Use a QR code in addition to the barcode to show your company details, product range, certificates or social media links.

15. How can I show the details of multiple manufacturers on my pack?

Put a QR code on the pack that opens a page listing all your manufacturers. If you use a dynamic QR code, you can edit those details at any time without reprinting the packaging. QuickBarcode provides dynamic QR codes for this as well.

Changing packaging, manufacturer or product

9. Can I change my packaging design and keep the same barcode?

Yes. If the product itself is the same and only the design changes, keep the same barcode.

10. If I change my manufacturer, do I need a new barcode?

No. The same product keeps the same barcode. You must, however, update the manufacturer’s name and address printed on the pack.

12. If I discontinue a product, can I use its barcode on a new product?

It is not advisable. Once a product has been sold, its barcode is entered in many retailer databases, and customers or sellers may have created listings for it on online platforms. You would have to get every one of those entries changed, and you won’t have access to edit listings that other people created. Give the new product a new barcode.

GS1, “890” barcodes and selling online

16. Does QuickBarcode provide GS1 registration or barcodes starting with 890?

No. QuickBarcode does not provide GS1 registration or 890-prefix barcodes. We provide unique EAN-13 and UPC barcodes with check digit verification, which helps reduce scanning errors. These barcodes work with standard barcode scanners and billing software.

17. Do retail stores accept only GS1 barcodes?

In most cases, no. We have served more than 12,000 clients and have not seen this as a general condition in the market. Requirements can differ between retailers, though, so if you are supplying a particular chain, confirm with them once.

18. Can I sell on e-commerce and quick commerce platforms with QuickBarcode barcodes?

Yes. Our clients already sell products with our barcodes on major e-commerce and quick commerce platforms. Platform rules can change and can differ by category, so check the current requirements for your category when you list.

20. Does a barcode starting with 890 mean the product is made in India?

No. 890 only means the company took its GS1 registration in India. An importer can put an 890 barcode on a product made in China, and a product made in India can carry a barcode that doesn’t start with 890. The barcode prefix is not a country-of-origin mark.

Cost

19. Is there an annual payment at QuickBarcode?

No. QuickBarcode charges a one-time fee. There is no annual renewal or subscription. Packages start at ₹4,499 for 5 barcodes; see all packages on the Buy Barcodes page.

Get barcodes for your products

Count your variants (every flavour × every pack size), choose a package, and you’ll receive your barcodes by email within 8 hours. QuickBarcode serves 12,000+ businesses in India and 12+ countries. If you’re not sure how many you need, message us on WhatsApp and we’ll help you work it out.