The GTIN is also known as the global article number and is used to uniquely identify and track trading units worldwide. It is usually a 13-digit number (GTIN-13), also known as EAN-13 (European Article Number). However, there are also variants for special applications, such as the GTIN-8 (EAN-8) or the GTIN-14. The GTIN can be found in the form of a barcode on the packaging of consumer goods in many countries.