GTIN, serial, batch and expiry: the four numbers on your medicine box
Every medicine pack in the Mehfooz Dawa programme carries four identifiers: the GTIN (product), the serial number (this exact box), the batch number (production run) and the expiry date. They are printed in plain text and stored in the square code. The serial number is the one that proves authenticity.
The four fields
GTIN, also printed as PC
The Global Trade Item Number identifies the product: brand, strength, dosage form and pack size. Panadol 500 mg in a pack of 20 has a different GTIN from the pack of 100. It is 14 digits long and the last digit is a check digit calculated from the other 13, which lets a scanner catch a misread. Pakistani GTINs usually start with 0896, the GS1 Pakistan prefix.
Serial number (SN)
A code of up to 20 characters, generated for each box and unique for that product. The manufacturer uploads every serial it prints to the track and trace system. Because fakes either invent serials (which are not in the system) or copy a real one (which then appears on many boxes), the serial is what catches counterfeits.
Batch or lot number (BN, B. No., Lot)
Identifies the production run. Quality testing, recalls and DRAP alerts all refer to batches. If you want to know whether your medicine has been recalled, the batch number is what you search for.
Expiry date (EXP)
Printed as a date on the box and stored inside the code as six digits, YYMMDD. A day of "00" means the end of that month. See how to read expiry dates.
How they sit inside the code
Inside the DataMatrix, each field is preceded by a GS1 application identifier: a two-digit tag that tells the scanner what follows. Written out, a code looks like this:
(01)08964001282990 (17)280923 (10)001708 (21)02670062528116513679
| Tag | Field | Length | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | GTIN | 14 digits, fixed | 08964001282990 |
| 17 | Expiry (YYMMDD) | 6 digits, fixed | 280923 = 23 Sep 2028 |
| 10 | Batch | Up to 20, variable | 001708 |
| 21 | Serial | Up to 20, variable | 02670062528116513679 |
Variable-length fields are separated by an invisible control character. When a printer leaves that separator out, simple scanners join the batch and serial into one string. Our scanner detects this and splits them correctly.
Try the decoder
Paste what your phone camera reads from a pack, or tap a sample, and watch the four fields separate.
- GTIN (01)
- Serial (21) Unique to one box
- Batch (10) Shared by the production run
- Expiry (17)
Which number to use for what
- Is this box genuine? All four, sent together for a verification check.
- Has it been recalled? Batch number.
- Is it still usable? Expiry date.
- Is it the right product? GTIN, plus the name shown in the result.
Questions people ask
What does PC mean on a medicine box?
PC stands for Product Code and is the GTIN, the 14-digit number that identifies the product, strength and pack size. It is printed beside the square code.
What is the difference between batch number and serial number?
A batch number is shared by every pack made in the same production run, sometimes tens of thousands of boxes. A serial number belongs to one box only. Recalls use batch numbers; authenticity checks use serial numbers.
Why does my GTIN start with 896?
GTINs carry a prefix from the GS1 organisation that issued them. 896 is the prefix for GS1 Pakistan, so most locally made medicines have GTINs beginning 0896. Imported products may carry other countries' prefixes.
What is a GS1 DataMatrix?
A two-dimensional barcode standard used on medicines around the world. It packs a lot of data into a small square, still reads when partly damaged, and uses GS1 application identifiers so every scanner interprets it the same way.
