The ITF-14 barcode format or Outer Carton Code is used to track products through warehousing and supply chain by distributors and large retailers. A carton containing multiple units of one product can often have an ITF-14 code placed on it however it is not always necessary. The necessity of having an ITF-14 code will depend on your supply chain and the needs of your retailers.
If your carton has multiple units of one product then the ITF-14 carton code will correspond directly with the product’s EAN-13 code. If your carton contains multiple units of different products then the ITF-14 will be different and unique representing the mixed products as a whole.
The ITF-14’s first digit is called a Packaging Level Indicator and can be any number between 0-8 however as standard it will usually be a 1. If you require the corresponding ITF-14 codes to your already purchased EAN-13 retail barcodes please let us know via email with your purchase receipt no. and we will arrange the generation of the ITF-14s to accompany your order. Please also include any extra information about your requirement in the email ie. a packaging level indicator that is not ‘1’.
Please note that you cannot use an ITF-14 at POS and you also cannot assign an EAN-13 where an ITF-14 code is required.