GTIN: definition and role in PIM

In PIM practice, the GTIN is the identifier that retailers, marketplaces and data pools use to match products. GS1 issues GTINs in four lengths. GTIN-8 serves small items and GTIN-14 serves cases and packaging. GTIN-12, the UPC, is used mostly in North America, and GTIN-13, the EAN, mostly in Europe. A product often carries several GTINs, one per packaging level.

Illustrative example: a beverage brand assigns a GTIN-13 to a single can and a GTIN-14 to the tray of 24 cans. The PIM stores both, with the hierarchy between them, and sends each to the right data pool and retailer.

In a selection, GTIN handling matters for validation, packaging hierarchies and channel matching. Buyers should test check-digit validation, duplicate detection and the link between packaging levels. Many channels reject products without a valid GTIN, and Google Merchant Center asks for an MPN only when no GTIN exists.