UPC-A

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The Universal Product Code Type A is the original barcode symbology that launched the retail scanning revolution. Its 12-digit numeric format encodes a manufacturer prefix and item number with a Mod 10 check digit, and remains the primary product identification standard in the United States and Canada.

UPC-A

1D Linear
Type 1D Linear
Data Length 12 digits
Character Set 0-9
Year 1974

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Related Terms

常见问题

什么是UPC-A条形码?

UPC-A是1974年引入的12位通用产品代码,用于美国和加拿大的零售产品。

UPC-A有多少位数字?

UPC-A始终包含恰好12位数字:1位系统位、5位制造商前缀、5位商品编号和1位校验位。

UPC-A在哪里使用?

UPC-A是美国和加拿大零售业的主要产品条形码,所有美国零售销售终端扫描器均可读取。