Is a barcode required for 5L bag-in-box packaging?

A barcode is not a legal requirement for bag-in-box packaging, but members strongly recommend including one to avoid costly problems down the line.

**Key points:** - **Not legally mandatory** — but treat it as essential in practice - **Required for retail placement** — supermarkets and multiple retailers will not stock products without barcodes; independent retailers may accept them - **Print before you need it** — members shared a cautionary tale of a major brand (Beavertown) receiving their first supermarket order only to discover thousands of cans had no barcodes. They spent a week reprinting and hand-sticking labels on every unit before delivery could proceed - **Cheap insurance** — the cost of adding a barcode upfront is negligible compared to the expense of reprinting labels and re-sticking stock if a retail opportunity suddenly appears - **Consider sticker option** — if barcode space or label design is tight, a barcode sticker can be applied later, but only as a last resort

**Caveats:** Members emphasised that redundant stock and emergency reprints are not only costly but also risk missing delivery windows and losing orders. Print barcodes from the start.