Barcodes for Supplement Brands: A Guide to GS1 Barcodes

What a barcode is, when you need one, why your brand should own its own, what it costs, and how to add it to your Make My Supps label.

1. What a barcode actually is

The barcode on a product is a picture of a number. That number is a GTIN (Global Trade Item Number). In the UK and Europe it is usually 13 digits long and is often called an EAN-13. Scanners in shops, warehouses and marketplaces read the bars and look the number up to identify exactly which product it is.

Each GTIN identifies one specific product. A 300g tub of creatine and a 900g tub of the same creatine are different products, so each needs its own GTIN. The same applies to each flavour or pack size you sell.

GS1 is the only authorised source

GS1 is the global, not-for-profit organisation that runs the barcode system. GS1 UK is the only authorised provider of unique GTINs in the UK. Barcodes from GS1 UK work worldwide, not just in the UK.

2. Do you need one?

You will need a barcode if you sell through

  • Supermarkets, pharmacies and high-street retailers
  • Amazon and other online marketplaces
  • Wholesalers and distributors
  • Gyms or shops that use an EPOS till system

You may not need one yet if you only sell

  • Through your own website
  • Directly to clients, members or at events
  • In small volumes with no retail plans

If there is any chance you will move into retail or marketplaces, it is far easier to put a barcode on your first label than to reprint later.

Make My Supps does not supply barcodes

A barcode identifies your brand's product, so it must be registered to your business, not to us. Your label template includes a space for the barcode. You add your own barcode to the artwork before you send it to us.

3. Why your brand should own its own barcode

When you join GS1 UK, your GTINs are licensed to your company and linked to your business details in the GS1 database. That link is what makes a barcode valuable.

Marketplaces check who owns the number

Amazon and other large retailers verify barcodes against the GS1 database to confirm the brand on the listing matches the company that holds the number. If it does not match, listings can be rejected, suppressed or removed.

Cheap "resold" barcodes are a false economy

You will find websites selling barcodes for a few pounds each. GS1 does not permit its numbers to be resold. A resold number stays registered to the company that originally licensed it, so it will never show your brand in the GS1 database. That is exactly the mismatch that gets marketplace listings taken down.

Your own GS1 barcode

  • Registered to your business
  • Accepted by retailers and marketplaces
  • Stays with your brand if you change manufacturer
  • Lets you manage your own product data

A resold or borrowed barcode

  • Registered to someone else
  • Can be rejected by Amazon and retailers
  • Risk of duplicate numbers across products
  • No control if the original owner's licence lapses

Your barcode is a brand asset

Because the GTINs belong to your business, they are portable. If you ever change supplier or manufacturer, your products keep the same barcodes, listings and retailer records. A barcode supplied by a manufacturer would tie your product listings to them.

4. What it costs

GS1 UK membership is priced by your company's annual turnover. Your GTINs are licensed annually as part of the membership, and you receive a renewal invoice each year. New and small brands start on the lowest plan.

Annual turnover Annual fee (ex VAT) GTINs included

Up to £99,999 £50 10

  • £100,000 – £499,999 £100 100
  • £500,000 – £999,999 £130 1,000
  • £1,000,000 – £9,999,999 £200 1,000

Source: GS1 UK published membership fees, checked October 2026. Higher turnover bands are available. Prices can change, so confirm the current fees at gs1uk.org before joining.

The £50 starter plan covers most new brands

For a new supplement brand, the £50-a-year plan gives you 10 GTINs, enough for 10 different products, sizes or flavours. For example, creatine in a 300g tub, an electrolyte in three flavours and a matcha in two pack sizes would use 6 of your 10.

Keep your membership renewed. Your GTINs are licensed annually, and letting the licence lapse can cause problems with marketplace listings that rely on them.

5. How to get your barcode

Join GS1 UK. Go to gs1uk.org/barcodes, choose the plan that matches your turnover and pay online. You can access your numbers straight away. 1

6. Getting the barcode right on your label

Use the GS1 image as supplied. Do not stretch, squash or crop it, and do not shorten the bars to save space.

Dark bars on a light background. Black on white scans best. Avoid red bars, and avoid placing the barcode over patterns or images.

Keep the clear space. Leave the blank margin either side of the bars clear of text and graphics.

One product, one number. Never reuse a GTIN for a different size, flavour or product.

Check before you print. GS1 UK offers a barcode review service if you want your barcode checked.

7. Quick checklist

Questions?

Email hello@makemysupps.co.uk or message us on WhatsApp on +44 7414 129170. We are happy to help you get your label ready for print.

This guide is general information, not legal or regulatory advice. GS1 UK sets its own membership terms and prices;

check the latest at gs1uk.org.

Allocate one GTIN to each product. In your GS1 UK account (My Numberbank), assign a number to each product, size and flavour, and add its description. 2

Download the barcode image. Membership includes barcode image credits, so you can generate a high-resolution barcode image from My Numberbank. 3

Add it to your label artwork. Place the barcode image in the barcode space on your Make My Supps label template, or ask your designer to do it. 4

Send us your artwork. We check the barcode is in place before printing and include it in your digital proof. 5

  • Decide whether you will sell through retailers or marketplaces ☐
  • Join GS1 UK on the plan that matches your turnover (from £50 a year ex VAT) ☐
  • Allocate a separate GTIN to each product, size and flavour ☐
  • Download the barcode image from My Numberbank ☐
  • Add it to your label artwork without resizing or cropping ☐
  • Send your artwork to hello@makemysupps.co.uk for your proof ☐
  • Renew your GS1 UK membership each year ☐

Ready to start your own brand?

Make My Supps packs white label supplements in the UK from just ten tubs, with label templates that already carry the statutory information. See how it works, read how to start a supplement brand in the UK, or try a sample pot for £4.99.

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