How to Generate EAN-13 and EAN-8 Barcodes for Retail Products in .NET

What Are EAN-13 and EAN-8 Barcodes?

EAN-13 and EAN-8 are the global standards for retail product barcodes. EAN-13 encodes 13 digits and is used on virtually all consumer goods worldwide; EAN-8 is a compact, 8-digit version for small packages and limited-label space. Both formats enable fast, error-free checkout, inventory, and supply chain management.

Quick Start (Minimal Example)

using Aspose.BarCode.Generation;
var generator = new BarcodeGenerator(EncodeTypes.EAN13, "590123412345");
generator.Save("product-ean13.png", BarCodeImageFormat.Png);

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. What Are EAN-13 and EAN-8 Barcodes?
3. Quick Start (Minimal Example)
4. Prerequisites
5. Step-by-Step Implementation
6. Customizing Barcode Appearance
7. Supported Output Formats
8. Troubleshooting & Common Issues
9. FAQs
10. Use Cases and Applications
11. Best Practices
12. Related Articles & Internal Links
13. Conclusion

Introduction

This article demonstrates how to generate EAN-13 and EAN-8 barcodes for retail products using Aspose.BarCode for .NET. Includes complete C# code, customization tips, and answers to real-world retail integration questions.

Prerequisites

• Visual Studio 2019 or later
• .NET 6.0+ or .NET Framework 4.6.2+
• Aspose.BarCode for .NET installed (NuGet)
• Basic C# knowledge

PM> Install-Package Aspose.BarCode 

Step-by-Step Implementation

EAN-13 Example:

using Aspose.BarCode.Generation;
BarcodeGenerator gen = new BarcodeGenerator(EncodeTypes.EAN13, "590123412345"); // 12 digits + auto-checksum
gen.Save("product-ean13.png", BarCodeImageFormat.Png);

EAN-8 Example:

BarcodeGenerator gen = new BarcodeGenerator(EncodeTypes.EAN8, "9638507"); // 7 digits + auto-checksum
gen.Save("product-ean8.png", BarCodeImageFormat.Png);

Customizing Barcode Appearance

• Bar Height/Width: csgen.Parameters.Barcode.BarHeight.Pixels = 80; gen.Parameters.Barcode.XDimension.Pixels = 2;
• Color/Background: csgen.Parameters.Barcode.BarColor = Color.DarkBlue; gen.Parameters.Barcode.BackColor = Color.White;
• Caption: csgen.Parameters.CaptionBelow\.Visible = true;
• Rotation (for packaging): csgen.Parameters.RotationAngle = 90;

Supported Output Formats

• PNG, JPEG, BMP – Standard image formats for print or web
• TIFF – For high-resolution or batch printing
• SVG, EMF – For scalable vector artwork

Troubleshooting & Common Issues

• Barcode not scanning?

  • Ensure the code is all digits (no letters/spaces), correct length, and not too small on print/export

• Wrong or missing checksum?

  • Aspose.BarCode adds checksums automatically—just supply 12 or 7 digits

• Label doesn’t fit?

  • Use EAN-8 for smaller packaging; reduce bar height/XDimension

FAQs

Q: Can I generate barcodes for multiple products in a batch? A: Yes. Loop through your product list and generate/save each barcode image programmatically.

Q: Can I use color barcodes? A: For maximum scanner compatibility, stick to dark bars on a light background; use colors with caution.

Use Cases and Applications

• Retail and grocery checkout
• Inventory and stockroom labeling
• POS receipts and shelf tags
• E-commerce product images

Best Practices: Quick Reference Table

Conclusion

EAN-13 and EAN-8 barcodes are the gold standard for retail and inventory worldwide. Aspose.BarCode for .NET makes it simple to generate compliant, high-quality barcodes for every use case. See the Aspose.BarCode API Reference for more details and advanced scenarios.