How to Print a Barcode on Your Product Packaging — A Complete India Guide

You have bought your EAN barcode from Planet Retail and received the files by email. Now comes the next step: getting the barcode correctly printed on your product packaging. This guide covers everything your packaging designer and printer need to know — from file format and size to placement and colour rules.

Which File Format to Send Your Packaging Designer

Your Planet Retail barcode package includes barcode image files in multiple formats. For packaging use:

• EPS (vector) — Best for packaging. Can be scaled to any size without quality loss. If your designer uses Adobe Illustrator or InDesign, send EPS.
• PDF — Good for packaging. High quality, universally accepted by printers and designers.
• TIFF — High-resolution raster image. Good for label printing if EPS is not available.
• JPEG — Acceptable for lower-stakes uses, but EPS or PDF is always preferred for packaging.

If you need EPS or TIFF format but did not request it when ordering, simply WhatsApp us at +91 8920675323 and we will send those formats at no extra charge.

Correct Barcode Size for Packaging

The standard EAN-13 barcode at 100% magnification (the GS1 recommended size) measures approximately:

• Width: 37.29 mm
• Height: 25.93 mm

This is the size at which the barcode image is supplied in your package. You can scale it within the following range:

• Minimum: 80% of standard size (about 29.8 mm wide)
• Maximum: 200% of standard size (about 74.6 mm wide)

Printing below 80% risks poor scannability. Printing above 200% is fine for large packaging.

Where to Place the Barcode on Your Packaging

Placement matters for scannability in retail stores and warehouses. Follow these guidelines:

• Place the barcode on the back or bottom panel of the packaging — never on the front (it disrupts the product's visual presentation).
• Place it at least 8mm away from any edge, fold, seam, or corner of the packaging.
• The barcode should be on a flat, stable surface — avoid curved surfaces where possible.
• On a box, the back panel or one of the side panels is the standard location.
• On pouches or flexible packaging, place on the back, away from the seal area.
• On labels, place the barcode on the lower half of the label.

Quiet Zones — The White Space Around the Barcode

The barcode must have a mandatory quiet zone — a clear white space — on both sides (left and right) with no other text, images, or design elements. This is critical for scanners to detect the start and end of the barcode.

• Left quiet zone: minimum 11 times the width of the narrowest bar (approximately 3.6mm at 100%)
• Right quiet zone: minimum 7 times the width of the narrowest bar (approximately 2.3mm at 100%)
• The quiet zone should be the same colour as the barcode background (white or very light)

In practice, tell your designer: leave at least 5mm of white space on each side of the barcode to be safe.

Barcode Colour Rules

Bars	Background	Will It Scan?
Black	White	✅ Best — always use this
Dark blue / dark brown	White or yellow	✅ Usually scans fine
Dark green	White	✅ Generally acceptable
Red	White	❌ Do not use — scanners use red laser
Any colour	Dark background	❌ Do not use — poor contrast
Light colours on white	White	❌ Insufficient contrast

The safest and always-correct choice is black bars on a white background. Do not try to be creative with barcode colours — it risks scan failure.

What to Tell Your Packaging Printer

When sending packaging artwork to your printer in India, include these instructions:

• Print the barcode at 100% of the supplied file size unless deliberately scaling within the 80–200% range
• Do not apply any filters, effects, or compression to the barcode area
• Maintain a minimum print resolution of 300 DPI for barcode areas
• Use the PDF or EPS file for the barcode — do not retype or redraw it
• Request a test print and scan check before mass production