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.
Why the serial number uses 0-9 and A-F
DRAP's guidelines require serial numbers to be randomised and unique, drawn from the hexadecimal characters 0 to 9 and A to F, and 12 to 20 characters long. Randomisation matters: if serials ran in order, such as 0001, 0002, a counterfeiter could guess valid numbers. With random serials, guessing one that exists is practically impossible, so fakes either carry made-up serials that fail verification or copy a real serial, which then shows up as a duplicate. For you, the rule has a handy side effect when typing: there is no letter O or I in a serial, so treat those as zero and one.
Leading zeros and 13-digit GTINs
GTINs in the code are always 14 digits. Many products also have a 13-digit retail barcode number; adding a zero in front turns it into the 14-digit GTIN. So 8964001282990 and 08964001282990 are the same product. The last digit is a check digit calculated from the others; our decoder tells you when it does not add up, which almost always means a misread.
Worked example: four numbers from one pack
| Printed beside the code | What it tells you | Check |
|---|---|---|
| GTIN 08964001282990 | A product registered through GS1 Pakistan (896 prefix) | Check digit valid |
| SN 02670062528116513679 | This one carton | Verified by scanning |
| BN 001708 | The production run | Search recalls |
| EXP 09/2028 | Use until 30 September 2028 (the code may hold the exact day) | Read the date |
What else can be in a GS1 code?
GS1 defines many other application identifiers, such as (11) for production date, (00) for a shipping container code (SSCC) and (240) or (241) for additional product information. DRAP's requirement for medicine cartons is the four shown above. Shipper cartons use an SSCC in a separate GS1-128 barcode, under a longer timeline. Our decoder reads the production date if a manufacturer includes it.
Char number ka matlab
- GTIN / PC: dawa ki pehchan ka 14 hindson wala number.
- SN: har dabbay ka alag serial number. Isi se asli ya nakli ka pata chalta hai.
- BN / Lot: batch number, recall isi par hota hai.
- EXP: expiry, is tareekh ke baad dawa istemal na karein.
Common decoding errors
- Batch and serial run together. When a printer leaves out the separator character, a simple reader shows one long string. Our decoder splits it by looking for the next identifier.
- A wrong check digit. Almost always a misread; scan again.
- The date looks wrong. Remember the code stores YYMMDD, so 280923 is 2028-09-23, not 28 September 2023.
New to 2D codes? Start with barcode medicine identification, which explains how the square code differs from an ordinary striped barcode.
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.
What is the 896 prefix on medicine barcodes?
896 is the GS1 prefix for Pakistan. Products whose GTIN was issued through GS1 Pakistan usually start with 896, or 0896 in the 14-digit form.
Can two boxes have the same serial number?
Not if they are genuine. Each serial is unique for a product. The same serial on two boxes is a sign of copying.
Serial number aur batch number mein kya farq hai?
Batch number poore production run ka hota hai aur hazaron dabbon par ek jaisa hota hai. Serial number sirf ek dabbay ka hota hai.
Is the expiry in the code the same as the printed one?
It should be. DRAP's guidelines require the encoded expiry and the data sent to DRAP to match the batch's approved expiry. The printed date may show only month and year.
Where do I find the GTIN on a medicine?
Beside the square code, labelled GTIN or PC. It is 14 digits long.
Is the GTIN the same as the registration number?
No. The GTIN is a GS1 product number used in barcodes. The registration number is DRAP's approval number for the product. Both appear on the pack.
