How to get an EAN code: costs and steps (2026)

Short answer: You get an EAN code from GS1, the only official issuer. In the Netherlands one single code costs a one-off €36 and a pack of 10 codes €61 per year; other countries have their own GS1 with its own prices. On bol you only need your own EAN for a new product or your own brand. If you sell an existing product, you use the EAN that is already on bol.

What is an EAN code?

An EAN code is the unique number of one product, usually 13 digits long and printed as a barcode on the packaging. Its official name is GTIN-13 (Global Trade Item Number); "EAN" is the older name that is still widely used. Every product, and every variant of it, has its own code. The last digit is a check digit calculated from the first twelve.

A common misconception: the first digits say nothing about where a product was made. They show which GS1 organisation issued the code: 87 for GS1 Netherlands, 54 for GS1 Belgium & Luxembourg, 50 for GS1 UK. A product made in China for a Dutch brand simply has a code starting with 87.

Do you need an EAN code to sell on bol?

Bol works with one product page per EAN. Whether you need to get a code yourself depends on what you sell:

How to get an EAN code from GS1 in 4 steps

1. Make sure your company is registered. GS1 issues codes to businesses. Apply to the GS1 organisation in the country where your company is established, for example GS1 Netherlands, GS1 Belgium & Luxembourg or GS1 UK.

2. Create a GS1 account and choose a pack. First work out how many codes you will need over the next two years (see below). Buying a larger pack later costs more than choosing the right pack now.

3. Link every code to a product. In your GS1 account you enter the product details per code: name, brand, variant and contents. Your product is then registered in the global register in your name.

4. Download the barcode and put it on the packaging. Have your supplier print the barcode on the packaging, or use a label. With Fulfilment by bol the barcode must be easy to scan.

What does an EAN code cost in 2026?

Prices GS1 Netherlands (indicative, October 2026; check the current prices with your own GS1 organisation):

Single codes and the 10-code pack carry no additional GS1 contribution. Sellers in Belgium pay GS1 Belgium & Luxembourg around €60 for a pack of 10 codes.

How many EAN codes do you need?

Every variant a customer can buy separately gets its own code. Work it out like this:

• 1 product in 3 colours and 4 sizes = 12 codes.

• A set or bundle (e.g. a 2-pack) is a new product and gets its own code.

• Different contents (250 ml and 500 ml) = different code.

• A new version that differs substantially from the old one (different specifications) = new code.

Keep a buffer for expansion. A code you have linked to a product once may never be used for another product, not even after the old product has been discontinued.

Cheap EAN codes from resellers: why you should not use them

Online you can find EAN codes for a few euros each. These are codes originally issued to another company and resold. GS1 itself states that these codes cannot be registered in your name in the global register. The risks:

• You cannot prove the code is yours. In a dispute over your product page, your position is weak.

• The code may have been used for another product before, so you end up on an existing product page with different content or reviews.

• Other platforms, such as Amazon, check for GS1 registration. If you want to expand later, you have to buy new codes after all and lose the reviews you built up.

For a starter, the price difference is a few dozen euros a year. That does not outweigh the risk.

EAN codes on bol: the rules you need to know

• Whoever buys the code from GS1 is the first supplier. You create the product page yourself, with title, description and images.

• Other sellers may sell the same product. If someone offers an identical product, they may use your EAN and join your product page. Your own EAN is therefore no guarantee of exclusivity. With your own brand it works differently in practice: nobody else has your product. If another seller does join your page, that is often counterfeiting or hijacking, and you need a registered trademark to take action.

• Reviews and content belong to the EAN. They cannot be transferred to another code. If you switch EAN, you start again with zero reviews.

• The same product may not be listed under several EANs. Listing the same item twice to gain visibility is not allowed.

Common mistakes

1. Using one code for all colours or sizes.

2. Reusing the code of a discontinued product for a new product.

3. Buying codes from a reseller and having to switch later.

4. Not entering the product details in your GS1 account, so the code is not demonstrably linked to your product.

5. Buying a pack that is too small and topping up a year later at a higher rate.

How Rylee helps

Getting an EAN only makes sense if the product sells. In Rylee you check demand, competition and prices of similar products on bol beforehand. Once your product is live, Rylee notifications alert you as soon as another seller joins your product page. All steps from idea to your own brand are in the step-by-step plan for your own brand.

Frequently asked questions about EAN codes

1. What does an EAN code cost?

At GS1 Netherlands a single code costs a one-off €36 (maximum five). A pack of 10 codes costs €61 per year. Larger packs cost an annual fee plus a turnover-based contribution. Prices differ per country; check the current rates with your own GS1 organisation.

2. Can I get an EAN code for free?

No, not for your own product. If you sell an existing product that is already on bol, you do not need your own code: you use the EAN already on the product page.

3. May I use another seller's EAN code?

Only if you sell exactly the same product. You then join the existing product page. If your product differs in colour, contents or version, you need your own code.

4. Does every colour and size need its own EAN code?

Yes. Every variant a customer can buy separately gets its own code. A product in 3 colours and 4 sizes needs 12 codes.

5. Does the first part of the code show the country of origin?

No. The prefix shows which GS1 organisation issued the code, not where the product was made. 87 stands for GS1 Netherlands, 54 for GS1 Belgium & Luxembourg and 50 for GS1 UK.

6. Can I use EAN codes from a reseller on bol?

It is not recommended. These codes are not registered in your name in the GS1 register, may have been used before and are rejected by other platforms such as Amazon. In a dispute over your product page you cannot prove the code is yours.

7. Can I link an EAN code to another product later?

No. A code stays linked to one product forever, even if that product is no longer sold.