Electronic Product Code (EPC)

The Electronic Product Code (abbreviated EPC) is a system used to universally identify single physical objects. 

The Electronic Product Code was developed in the nineties by the Auto-ID Labs network of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is currently administered by EPCglobal, Inc., a subsidiary of GS1. The development of the Electronic Product Code is closely related to the manufacturing sector.

The Electronic Product Code is structured as a string of numbers. This string is composed of four elements: 

• The header, which indicates the version of the Electronic Product Code that is being used.

• The manager number, which identifies the manufacturer or company behind the item tagged with the Electronic Product Code.

• The object class, which serves to identify the item tagged with the code.

• The serial number, a sort of fingerprint which allows the single out the item from the rest of items tagged with an Electronic Product Code.

Electronic Product Codes are usually encoded in a RFID label or tag. Other label types can be used to implement the Electronic Product Code, such as a QR code or a datamatrix code.

The Electronic Product Code offers several advantages. In particular:

• They provide scanning efficiency. Since RFID is the technology usually used to store Electronic Product Codes, this allows companies to scan multiple items or an entire inventory in just a few seconds instead of scanning each product separately.

• They provide traceability. The Electronic Product Code allows manufacturers to identify specific products in different phases of the supply chain, which can be particularly useful under certain scenarios (e.g., a product recall).

• They are a powerful ally in fighting counterfeit. Since the Electronic Product Code is unique to each item, it becomes much harder for counterfeiters to illegally replicate and sell a product.

• They allow companies to track the entire supply chain. Since items tagged with the Electronic Product Code are traceable, manufacturers are able to identify each item along the entire supply chain (from the factory floor to the store shelf).

Weber Marking Systems provides a wide range of label printers and labeling systems to help you print and apply your Electronic Product Codes. Moreover, our inkjet printers can print the barcodes hosting your Electronic Product Codes directly on the respective item.

If you are looking for a label manufacturer, we can also help: at Weber Marking Systems, we print your labels containing Electronic Product Codes. It doesn’t matter if it's a traditional paper label or an RFID label, our printing machines can handle all sorts of label types!