GB/T 14257-2025Bar code for commodity - Placement requirements for bar code symbol (English PDF)

Foreword

This document is in accordance with the provisions of GB/T 1.1-2020 "Guidelines for standardization work Part

1.Structure and drafting rules for standardization documents". Drafting is required. This document replaces GB/T 14257-2009 "Guidelines for the placement of barcode symbols for commodity barcodes". In addition to structural adjustments and editorial changes, the main technical changes are as follows:

a) Added the terms and definitions of "barcode", "product barcode" and "product QR code" (see Chapter 3);

b) Added QR code related requirements (see Chapter 4);

c) Added the requirement for simultaneous placement of one-dimensional barcodes and product two-dimensional code symbols (see 5.4);

d) Added the legend for QR codes, and added the requirements and legend for packaging with uncertain barcode symbol positions (see 5.5);

e) Added the requirements for barcode symbol length (see Appendix A);

f) Added placement of human-readable characters (see Appendix B). Please note that some of the contents of this document may involve patents. The issuing organization of this document does not assume the responsibility for identifying patents. This document is proposed and coordinated by the National Logistics Information Management Standardization Technical Committee (SAC/TC267). This document was drafted by: China Article Numbering Center, Zhejiang Quality Science Research Institute, Hebei Provincial Standardization Research Institute, Qingdao Standardization Research Institute, Peking University Third Hospital, China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., Shandong Provincial Institute of Standardization, Ningbo Institute of Standardization, Shenzhen Institute of Standards and Technology, Jiangsu Institute of Quality and Standardization, Anhui Institute of Quality and Standardization, Xiamen Institute of Standardization Institute, Beijing Institute of Standardization, Zhejiang Meilijian Dairy Co., Ltd., Zhejiang Special Equipment Science Research Institute, China Jiliang University, Inner Mongolia Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Quality and Standardization Research Institute, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Standards and Technology Research Institute, Jiangxi Provincial Quality and Standardization Research Institute, Chongqing Municipal Quality and Standardization Research Institute, Shanxi Provincial Inspection and Testing Center (Shanxi Provincial Standard Metrology Technology Research Institute), Guangzhou Standardization Research Institute, Fujian Provincial Institute of Standardization. The main drafters of this document are. Li Sucai, Cheng Lulu, Wang Zheng, Ding Wei, Du Jingrong, Gao Changlong, Li Congfen, Fan Dejun, Lou Qinghua, Wang Xiaoyuan, Feng Xueping, Wu Jie, Yuan Jinbo, Wu Xinxin, Luo Xiang, Chen Hao, Wang Jia, Shi Jin, Li Yan, Wang Huan, Miao Yanhui, Chen Xiaorong, Wang Lin, Kong Weijia, Xu Yizhong, Liu Chenyan, Zhou Tong, Zheng Fei, Meng Ruopu, Li Zheng, and Zhou Shunji. The previous versions of this document and the documents it replaces are as follows:

---First issued as GB/T 14257-1993 in.1993, first revised in.2002, second revised in.2009;

---This is the third revision. Product barcode barcode symbol placement requirements

1 Scope

GB/T 14257-2025 is the Chinese national standard on bar code for commodity - placement requirements for bar code symbol, in the field of information technology. The /T suffix marks it as a recommended standard: it is not compulsory by itself, but it becomes binding as soon as a contract, a tender or a customer specification calls it up - which in practice is how most foreign buyers meet it. It was issued on 1 August 2025 by the State Administration for Market Regulation; Standardization Administration of China, and has been in force since 1 February 2026. Classification: ICS 35.040, CCS A24. This page is published from the official record of the standard held by the Chinese standards administration: the identification, the dates, the classification and the issuing body are taken from there. The clause text, the tables and the numeric limits are in the document itself, which is delivered complete in English translation.

This document specifies the general rules for the placement of barcode symbols on commodities, and the requirements for the placement of barcode symbols on retail commodities, stored and transported packaged commodities, and logistics units. This document applies to the design and application of product barcode symbol placement on retail products, storage and transportation packaging products and logistics units.

2 Normative references

The contents of the following documents constitute the essential clauses of this document through normative references in this document. For referenced documents without a date, only the version corresponding to that date applies to this document; for referenced documents without a date, the latest version (including all amendments) applies to This document.

GB 12904 Commodity Barcodes Retail Commodity Coding and Barcode Representation

GB/T 12905 Barcode Terminology

GB/T 12906 Chinese Standard Book Number Barcode

GB/T 15425 Product Barcode 128 Barcode

GB/T 16827 China Standard Serial Number (ISSN part) barcode

GB/T 16830 Commodity barcodes - Storage, transportation and packaging - Commodity coding and barcode representation

GB/T 18127 Commodity barcode logistics unit coding and barcode representation

GB/T 33993 Product QR Code

3 Terms and Definitions

The terms and definitions defined in GB 12904, GB/T 12905 and the following apply to this document.

3.1 The main display surface of the product packaging that mainly displays the trademark and product name.

3.2 The outer surface of the product packaging opposite to the main display surface.

3.3 barcode A symbol consisting of a set of regularly arranged bars and spaces that can be read by machines to represent certain information, including one-dimensional barcodes and two-dimensional barcodes. Barcode. [Source: GB/T 12905-2019, 2.1]

3.4 barcode for commodity A globally accepted barcode symbology used to identify products.

Note. This includes the coding and barcode representation of retail goods, stored and transported packaged goods, logistics units, assets, service relationships, and locations of participants. [Source: GB/T 12905-2019, 2.70, with modifications]