In 60 seconds
- When the barcode fails at the receiving dock, the penalty is not on the printer — it is charged back to you. Retailers and e-commerce warehouses enforce hard rules on carton labels. A failed scan means a rejected delivery or a per-carton chargeback, regardless of how good the label looks.
- A compliant logistics label needs exactly one mandatory field: the SSCC. Eighteen digits, encoded under AI (00) in a GS1-128 symbol, identifying that one pallet or carton uniquely across the supply chain. GTIN, batch, expiry and PO number are optional extras.
- Three numbers decide whether it scans: X-dimension (0.495–1.016 mm), bar height (at least 32 mm) and quiet zones (10X each side). Hold those and the grade takes care of itself.
- 0.495 mm is not printable on every printer. At 203 dpi one dot is 0.125 mm, so four dots give 0.508 mm — in practice you specify 0.5 mm, not 0.495 mm, or the bar widths land between dots.
- The cheapest path: send us the customer's DC receiving specification. Field sets, label sizes and placement rules differ by retailer. Setting the artwork to the spec once costs far less than a reprint after the first rejected delivery.
1. When you need a logistics label rather than a product label
| Consumer unit label | Logistic unit label | |
|---|---|---|
| Applied to | The item sold to a shopper | Case, pallet, roll cage — the transport and storage unit |
| Identifier | GTIN (EAN-13 / UPC / ITF-14) | SSCC (AI 00), one per unit, never reused |
| Read by | POS till, shopper's phone | Receiving dock, sortation, warehouse WMS |
| Cost of error | A stuck checkout, one label replaced | Rejected delivery, chargeback, return freight |
| Rule source | National labelling law (food, cosmetics) | GS1 Logistic Label standard + the customer's DC manual |
Practical test: if the customer says "it has to go into our warehouse / onto our shelves", ask one question — does your receiving spec require an SSCC? If yes, this is the article you need.
2. SSCC-18: what the eighteen digits are
The Serial Shipping Container Code is the unique serial number of a logistic unit, encoded under AI (00), always 18 digits:
| Position | Content | Decided by |
|---|---|---|
| 1st digit | Extension digit (0–9) | You; increases numbering capacity. Most companies keep it at 0. |
| Following | GS1 Company Prefix | Issued by your GS1 Member Organisation; length depends on national policy |
| Middle | Serial reference | You allocate it — sequential (…00001, …00002) is simplest |
| Last digit | Check digit | Calculated from the first 17 by the GS1 algorithm |
Check digit (GS1 mod 10): from the rightmost data digit, multiply alternately by 3 and 1, sum, then take the digit that brings the total to the next multiple of ten.
Worked example you can re-check: data 06901234567890123 → weights 3,1,3,1… from the right give a total of 142 → the next multiple of ten is 150, so the check digit is 8 → full SSCC 069012345678901238.
- One unit, one number, never reused. The same SSCC on two pallets means two records claiming to be the same object, and the warehouse reconciliation breaks.
- Whoever builds the unit allocates the number. If you palletise, you issue the SSCC from your own prefix. If an upstream party did not label it, a downstream party (forwarder or customer) may allocate one.
- An SSCC already applied is never replaced. Additional segments for carrier information may be added later, but they must not cover the existing SSCC.
- No prefix yet? Apply to the GS1 Member Organisation where your company is registered — Hong Kong, Macao, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia each have one. This must be done by your own legal entity; a printer cannot apply for you or lend you a number.
3. The three-part layout, and the AIs you actually use
A GS1 logistic label is built from three blocks; when information arrives at different times it may be split into up to three segments (carrier, customer, supplier), and the segment carrying the SSCC always sits at the bottom:
| Block | Content | Typical AIs |
|---|---|---|
| Top (free format) | Company name / logo, ship-from and ship-to addresses, PO number | none (plain text) |
| Middle (data titles + human readable) | SSCC digits, item, count, batch, dates | 00, 02+37, 01, 10, 11, 13, 17 |
| Bottom (barcodes) | GS1-128 symbol with the human readable interpretation beneath it | 00, 02, 37, 10, 17… |
| AI | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 00 | SSCC | The only mandatory element; fixed 18 digits |
| 02 | GTIN of the trade items contained (CONTENT) | Must appear with (37); never with (01) |
| 37 | Count of contained trade items | Only with (02), never with (01) |
| 01 | GTIN, when the unit is itself a trade item | Mutually exclusive with (02) |
| 10 / 11 / 13 / 17 | Batch / production date / packing date / expiry | All dates YYMMDD, six digits |
| 310n | Net weight in kg; n is the decimal position | Common for variable-measure goods |
| 421 | Ship-to postal code with country | ISO 3166-1 numeric-3 + postal code; never with (420) |
| 402 / 401 | GSIN (shipment) / GINC (consignment) | For units travelling together |
Three normative rules — breaking them is a data error, not a layout preference: (01) and (02) never coexist; (02) always comes with (37); (37) is never used with (01). The customer's EDI or WMS will reject the message, not just the label.
4. Symbol dimensions: X-dimension, bar height, quiet zones
- X-dimension (narrowest bar): for logistics, GS1-128 runs from 0.495 mm to 1.016 mm. Smaller saves label width but demands more from printer resolution and ribbon.
- Bar height: at least 32 mm. Use 40 mm if the symbol will be read by fixed-mount scanners or from a distance.
- Quiet zones: at least 10X each side. At X = 0.5 mm that is 5 mm of clean space — no print, no rule line, no die-cut edge inside it.
Sizing it yourself: the SSCC symbol carries AI "00" plus 18 digits = 20 numeric characters. Code 128 uses 11 modules per character, and subset C packs two digits per character, so that is 10 data characters. Total width = start 11 + FNC1 11 + data 110 + check 11 + stop 13 = 156 modules.
| X-dimension | Symbol width (156 modules) | With quiet zones | Printable at 203 dpi? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.495 mm | 77.2 mm | about 87 mm | No — 3.96 dots, bar edges fall between dots |
| 0.508 mm (4 dots @203 dpi) | 79.2 mm | about 89 mm | Yes — the practical choice |
| 0.635 mm (5 dots @203 dpi) | 99.1 mm | about 112 mm | Yes — better scanning tolerance, wider label |
| 1.016 mm (upper limit) | 158.5 mm | about 179 mm | Exceeds the 165 mm symbol limit; wide-format labels only |
Which is why 100 mm wide stock with X = 0.5 mm fits almost exactly (89 mm symbol plus margins) — and why 100 × 150 mm became the default logistics label. Add a second symbol ((02) + (37)) and you are into A5, 148 × 210 mm.
5. Print quality: the dock measures a grade, not legibility
Receiving measures overall symbol quality to ISO/IEC 15416. GS1 requires grade 2.0 (ANSI C). Below that, many DCs reject the delivery outright or log a chargeback.
| Parameter | What it measures | Most common cause of a low score |
|---|---|---|
| Symbol contrast | Reflectance difference between bars and spaces | Ribbon too light, incomplete transfer, dark face stock |
| Edge determination | Sharpness of bar edges | Uneven print head pressure, too fast, too cool |
| Bar width deviation | Error in each bar's width | X-dimension landing between printer dots (0.495 mm at 203 dpi) |
| Defects | Voids and spots inside bars | Dirty print head, contamination in the face stock |
| Decode | First-read rate | Text or rule lines intruding into the quiet zone |
- Verify it yourself: a handheld verifier, or ask the customer to scan one and report the grade — worth far more than squinting at the label.
- Direct thermal fades. It depends on a colour-forming coating that heat, light and solvent degrade. Sea freight through a container that reaches 60 °C is exactly where labels stop scanning on arrival.
- Thermal transfer with a resin ribbon is what survives long transit and long storage. For durable, scuff-resistant or chilled applications, it is the only sensible choice.
6. Placement: height, number of sides, and what to avoid
- Height: on units taller than 1,000 mm (a typical pallet) the bar code should sit 400–800 mm above the floor — comfortable for both handheld and fixed readers.
- Units shorter than 1,000 mm: as high as possible, with the symbol at least 32 mm above the base and no higher than 800 mm.
- Sides: most retail specs ask for two adjacent sides so a forklift can scan from either approach. Follow the customer's DC manual where it differs.
- Avoid: case seams, creases, packing tape, stretch-wrap joins and damaged areas — a symbol crossing a crease will not grade.
- Apply flat: bubbles, wrinkles and lifted corners all shorten the working scan distance. Smooth from the centre outwards with a squeegee.
7. Materials and ribbons for Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asia
| Scenario | Face stock | Adhesive | Ribbon |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indoor warehouse, ships within a week | Thermal-transfer coated paper | General-purpose permanent | Wax / wax-resin |
| Sea freight, hot container | Coated paper or synthetic (PP) | High-shear permanent | Resin |
| Chilled / frozen, in and out of cold rooms | Synthetic (PP) | Freezer grade (below −20 °C needs a specific grade) | Resin |
| Returnable totes, must peel off | Synthetic | Removable | Resin |
| Corrugated board (rough, recycled fibre) | Heavier coated paper | High initial tack, heavy coat | Resin |
The shared problem in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia is humidity: paper face stocks absorb moisture and grow, so a barcode printed well can drift out of tolerance within two weeks. Fixes: specify synthetic stock; bag rolls in foil or vacuum packaging; let them acclimatise 24 hours before opening; and do not print six months of stock at once.
8. Five reasons deliveries get rejected
| Symptom | Root cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Scanners fail, verifier reports D or F | X between dots, weak ribbon, print inside the quiet zone | Set X to 0.5 or 0.635 mm; switch to resin; clear the quiet zone |
| SSCC does not match the ASN or delivery note | Duplicated allocation, or the serial did not increment | Allocate in the system, never by hand; scan the whole batch before dispatch |
| Symbol too low or too high on the pallet | Spec (400–800 mm) not followed | Measure the pallet, then fix the application position in the work instruction |
| Only one side labelled | Spec requires two adjacent sides | Make "two sides per pallet" the operation, not an afterthought |
| Faded or smeared on arrival | Direct thermal stock | Thermal transfer with resin; never direct thermal for sea freight |
9. One-page specification sheet to forward
| # | Item | What you fill in |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Customer receiving spec | The DC's PDF — everything else follows from it |
| 2 | Label size | e.g. 100 × 150 mm / A6 105 × 148 mm / A5 148 × 210 mm |
| 3 | Data content | (00) SSCC mandatory; optional (02)+(37), (10), (17) |
| 4 | X-dimension | 0.5 mm (4 dots at 203 dpi) or 0.635 mm |
| 5 | Bar height | ≥32 mm; 40 mm for fixed-mount readers |
| 6 | Face / adhesive / ribbon | Indoor, sea freight or cold chain |
| 7 | Roll format | Core I.D., O.D., labels per roll, unwind direction |
| 8 | Pre-print | Static fields (name, logo) can be pre-printed; serials printed on site |
| 9 | Quality grade | ISO/IEC 15416 ≥2.0 (ANSI C) |
| 10 | Packing and storage | Moisture-barrier packing, first-in-first-out, use within N months |
10. FAQ
Q1: We have no GS1 prefix. Can we just invent 18 digits?
Not advisable. Global uniqueness comes from the GS1 Company Prefix; a self-made number can collide inside a customer's system and cannot be traced when something goes wrong. Apply to the GS1 Member Organisation in your own jurisdiction — a printer cannot apply on your behalf and should not lend you a number.
Q2: Can we print a batch in advance and add the serials by hand at dispatch?
Static fields can be pre-printed. The SSCC and batch must be printed on site by the system, because they have to match the ASN and delivery note one to one. Hand-written or stuck-on additions land exactly where verifiers lose points.
Q3: The customer only said "GS1 barcode" with no spec. What do we need?
Three answers: label size and placement, which fields are required (SSCC or not), and whether a verification grade is specified. With those, the spec is settled. If the customer cannot answer, they have not settled it either — print one sample for them to take to their warehouse, which is far cheaper than a full run that has to be redone.
Q4: Is ordinary coated-paper self-adhesive acceptable?
Indoors with short dispatch cycles, yes. For sea freight, cold chain, or more than about three months in storage, use synthetic (PP) with a resin ribbon — paper grows with humidity and the bar widths move out of tolerance.
Q5: Lead times for Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asia?
Proofs about 24 hours; small production runs about one week; bulk offset or rotary about 15 days. Logistics labels are usually variable-data work, so decide up front whether you print on site from blank rolls or we supply finished printed rolls — the lead time and unit price differ.
Q6: Can you print the SSCC serials for us?
Yes, but you must supply the serial range and the matching dispatch detail, and confirm in writing that the numbers originate in your system. A serial is the unit's identity in the supply chain and should not be invented by a printer. We will ask before we print, not decide for you.
- Artwork: AI, PDF, EPS or PSD with fonts outlined or embedded; include the die line if you have one; 20MB per file. A photo or screenshot is fine if the design is not final.
- Finished size and shape (round, square, custom; a die-line file is ideal).
- Quantity: how many versions, how many per version, and whether it ships in rolls or cartons.
- Material and where the label sits: paper, synthetic paper, PE or PET; outside the pack or inside.
- Destination market and the standard to meet (Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, EU food-contact rules).
- Required delivery date: samples and digital work about 24 hours, small runs about one week, bulk about 15 days — confirmed against the actual schedule.
Your contacts: quotations Ms Zeng +86 180 1199 6161 | sales Mr Hong +86 189 2511 1128. We reply within the working day (Monday to Saturday); for urgent work please call.
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