EAN-5 Add-on
Published by the QRinsec Editorial Team — practical documentation about QR codes, barcode standards, and QRinsec’s client-side tools. Content is reviewed against product testing and published technical documentation from sources such as GS1, Denso Wave, and ISO standards where applicable.
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The EAN-5 add-on is a five-digit supplemental barcode printed beside a main EAN or UPC symbol.
Important Notice
EAN-5 cannot be scanned standalone — it must always be paired with a main EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode.
Important Notice
Maintain exactly 5× X-dimension separation between the main barcode and the EAN-5 add-on; too little space causes decode failures.
Key Facts
- Digits
- 5 (supplemental only)
- Standalone?
- No — requires main EAN-13 or UPC-A
- Standard
- ISO/IEC 15420
- Common Use
- Book price / magazine price (North America)
- Separation
- 5× X-dimension from main symbol
What is an EAN-5 add-on barcode?
EAN-5 (also called EAN-5 Supplemental or 5-digit add-on) is a supplementary barcode symbol printed to the right of a main EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode. It encodes exactly 5 digits of additional information — most commonly a suggested retail price on books and magazines in North America. EAN-5 cannot be scanned alone; it is always read in conjunction with the main symbol. Standardised in ISO/IEC 15420, it uses the same bar/space module structure as EAN-13.
The 5 digits and price encoding
EAN-5 encodes 5 digits using a combination of odd and even parity patterns (the same technique as EAN-13 left-side characters). The digits are separated by delineator patterns rather than standard inter-character gaps. A 2-digit checksum (not a traditional check digit) is calculated from the 5 data digits and used to select the parity pattern of each character — scanners use this to verify the add-on.
Price encoding conventions (North America):
- Books: '5' + price in cents (e.g., 51995 = $19.95).
- Canadian price: '6' + price in cents.
- '90000' = price not encoded / see retailer.
EAN-5 vs. EAN-2 vs. price on main barcode
EAN-5 encodes 5 digits (typically a price); EAN-2 encodes 2 digits (typically an issue number for magazines). Neither can stand alone — both require a main EAN-13 or UPC-A symbol. The main EAN-13/UPC-A barcode does not contain price information; price is a separate retail system lookup. The add-on is therefore purely informational for newsstand and bookstore systems.
When to use EAN-5
EAN-5 is used primarily for:
- Suggested retail price on books (alongside the ISBN-13/EAN-13 barcode).
- Price add-on on magazines sold in North American retail.
The add-on is optional. If no price is encoded, '90000' is the conventional placeholder. Outside North America, price add-ons are uncommon — European retailers look up prices from their own systems.
Printing requirements
The EAN-5 add-on is printed to the right of the main EAN-13/UPC-A barcode with a mandatory separation of 5× the X-dimension between the two symbols. The add-on shares the same bar height and quiet zone as the main symbol. The combined symbol width must be planned at design time — the add-on adds approximately 20–25 mm to the total symbol width at 100% magnification.
Common scanning failures
The most common EAN-5 failure is insufficient separation between the main barcode and the add-on — if they are too close, scanners attempt to decode both as one symbol and fail. Misalignment (add-on bars not aligned to the same baseline as the main symbol) also causes read failures. Always use barcode generation software that correctly calculates combined symbol dimensions.
Comparison
| Feature | EAN-5 | EAN-2 | Main EAN-13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digits | 5 | 2 | 13 |
| Standalone? | No | No | Yes |
| Typical Use | Price (books/magazines) | Issue number (magazines) | Product identification |
| Region | Mainly North America | Global | Global |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does '90000' mean in an EAN-5 add-on on a book?
'90000' is the conventional placeholder meaning no suggested retail price is encoded, or the price varies by retailer. The retailer looks up the price from their own system using the ISBN-13.
Is the EAN-5 add-on mandatory on books?
No. The EAN-5 price add-on is optional. Many publishers omit it, particularly for international editions where a single price is not applicable.
Can any barcode scanner read the EAN-5 add-on?
Most modern retail barcode scanners support EAN-5 add-ons, but some must be explicitly configured to read supplemental symbols. Check your scanner's configuration guide.
What is the difference between EAN-5 and EAN-2?
EAN-5 encodes 5 digits (typically a price); EAN-2 encodes 2 digits (typically a magazine issue number). Both are supplemental add-ons that require a main EAN-13 or UPC-A barcode.
Does the EAN-5 barcode affect the ISBN or ISSN number?
No. The EAN-5 add-on is completely separate from the main barcode data. The ISBN or ISSN number encoded in the main barcode is unchanged by the presence or content of the add-on.
References
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