Option 1 — GS1 (official body)
GS1 is the international organisation that manages EAN standards. Registering with GS1 France allows you to obtain a unique préfixe fabricant (your codes will all begin with a number specific to you). This is the recommended solution if:
- You are an established brand with hundreds of products.
- You sell in supermarkets (Carrefour, Auchan, Leclerc).
- You export internationally and would like to use your own prefix.
Inconvénients : recurring annual membership fee (several hundred euros depending on turnover), administrative procedures, processing times.
Option 2 — EAN Reseller (such as EAN Express)
Resellers hold stocks of valid EAN codes, which they provide to you in the form of a licence. Ideal for:
- Online retailers, self-employed people, craftspeople and sole traders.
- Sellers on Amazon.co.uk, eBay, Etsy, OnBuy, Google Shopping.
- Small and medium-sized enterprises with a limited number of products.
Avantages : One-off purchase with no subscription required, immediate delivery, volume-based pricing, and no paperwork.
Quick comparison
| Criterion | GS1 | Retailer |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | High (€€€) | Low (€) |
| Subscription | Mandatory annual | None |
| Processing time | Several weeks | A few minutes |
| Retail | Recommended | No |
| Marketplaces & Google Shopping | OK | OK |
Why choose EAN Express?
At EAN Express, with just a few clicks you can obtain brand-new, unused EAN-13 valides codes, delivered by email along with their high-definition barcodes (PNG + SVG). No subscription, no hidden fees, no time limits: the codes are yours to keep forever. To understand the importance d'avoir des codes valides, read our dedicated article.