FINAL WARNING: The Curtain Falls
2 - 1101100
3 - 1000010
4 - 1011100
5 - 1001110
6 - 1010000
7 - 1000100
8 - 1001000
9 - 1110100
The UPS Code begins with a Number System Character (on the left of
the symbol):
0 = Grocery
1 = Unknown
2 = Variable weight items such as fruit, meat and produce
3 = National Drug Code and Health Related Items
4 = Reserved for NDC and HRIC, if manufacturer identification
code on left has to be expanded to 11 digits (1st five on the left
side, 6th will be placed at the right of the symbol)
5 = Reserved for use on coupons
6 = Encodes a 12-digit code when the code must be expanded
7 = Unknown
8 = Unknown
9 = Encodes a 12-digit code in stores where more information is
needed on symbol
The first group of numbers (generally 5) is the Manufacturer’s Code,
and the second group of numbers (generally 5) is the Manufacturer
Product Code (such as an item number). The Code ends with a Check
Character (to the right of the symbol) whose purpose is to check for
errors, such as an unauthorized addition of lines that could result in
the computer reading the wrong number.
There are various other UPC Code designs that have been utilized
such as the Zero Suppression Method (Design #2, 2nd most commonly
used design) which permits zeros to be eliminated from the ten digit
code number, thereby narrowing it to six numbers, which reduces the
width of the symbol so it can fit on a product with a smaller package.
Known as truncation, this method also reduces the height by
shortening the length of the vertical lines; but it also reduces the