Looking for help on obtaining Universal Product Identifiers

Question

I have done some research but don't seem to getting the right noise back.

I am trying to locate somewhere where I could either bulk download and use as a reference or query on the fly, a source for product id's such as a Universal Product Identifiers like a barcodes.

Below is an example that I have got from Google - https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/6583732842327544746?q=vitamins&rlz=1Y3XIUG_enGB514GB514&sboxchip=Shopping&biw=360&bih=567&dpr=2&sa=X&ei=Rs08Urj6HK330gXsyoGgDw&ved=0CIEBEPMCMAI#hsec:specs

Universal Product Identifiers
Part Numbers    50090, 661330, BC-50090
GTIN                    05033290500900

The products that I need the id need to get the information on are manufacturered all over the world and therefore must be globally unique.

I have found a few web services but they don't seem to hit the bill.

The main industry that the product information will be from is the health supplement sector.

Answer 1

There simply IS no such database.

Each manufacturer is allotted a block of numbers by GS1. The manufacturer allots a number from that block to a product. Maintenance of the relationship between the GS1 number and the internal reference used by the manufacturer is the manufacturer's concern.

Analysing the product you have used as an example,

5033290500900 is the 13-digit number allotted by the manufacturer;  
50            indicates UK  
  33290       indicates the manufacturer (Biocare)  
       50090  is the individual item number allotted by the company  
            0 is the checkdigit  

The leading "0" in a GTIN is the "packaging level." Hence a wrapper of 3 containers may have a leading "1", a tray of 4 wrappers "2", and so on - again, allotted by the manufacturer. (This is a common method - BUT some manufacturers foolishly violate this system (to be fair, the original assignment was undefined.) The checkdigit is calculated from the resultant 13-digit number to form the 14th.

Note that what this means is that a GTIN starting "0" has the same checkdigit as the 13-digit item number (actually 12-digit + checkdigit) which means that you can't distinguish between the two if you store the value of the number but don't flag the length. Hence it's sensible to have a 0 prefix for an individual item and other digits for bigger packages.

50090, 661330 and BC-50090 are likely to be different internal reference codes used by the manufacturer from time to time. Very sensibly, the 50090 is used as the manufacturer's item number in the 13-digit code.

The point is however that the manufacturer's code may be changed at any time by the manufacturer. What should remain constant however is the 13-digit code for the individual item.

So - YOUR internal reference may be ABC123
The GS1 reference is 5033290500900
The product description is "One a Day 90 Tablet"
The manufacturer's reference may be 50090, 661330 OR BC-50090

Manufacturers will normally supply you with a list of the description, GS1 number and their internal reference BUT since you shouldn't be bothered with THEIR internal numbers, recording that data is a matter of choice. The GS1 number is King - BUT also some organisations insist you use THEIR internal number, just like in the days of steam.

You should record a relationship between YOUR internal number and the GS1 number. YOU handle YOUR numbers YOUR way and let THEM handle THEIR numbers THEIR way. Your point of commonality is the GS1 number.

Note also that if you are ordering similar goods from different manufacturers, then you MAY want to have some variety of linkage between the two on YOUR system. If you don't care whether you are ordering aspirins from manufacturer A or B, then YOUR internal workings use YOUR internal number and the order is placed under the SELLER's GS1 number.

Note also that it is possible that the same item may appear under different numbers even though they are from the same manufacturer. If a manufacturer or product-line is taken over, the same product may appear with a number allotted by the new owners and there will be a period where BOTH numbers are active in the field.

I've used "manufacturer" throughout, but in fact the number allotted is that which is allotted by the owner of the brand. The goods may be produced anywhere, so if actual manufacturing location of a product is changed, the barcode allotted remains the same.