Ask the Collective

What are the barcode margin requirements for outer case scanning at major retailers like Booker?

Members have reported that outer case barcodes (ITF-14 format) can fail to scan at Booker due to insufficient margin space around the barcode. - **Booker scanning requirements** — One member experienced barcode scan failures at Booker, despite the same barcodes scanning successfully at Sainsbury's, Waitrose, and Ocado. The issue was identified as the margin size around the ITF-14 barcode being too small relative to the barcode itself. The barcode must sit within a clear box with adequate margin space around it for reliable scanning. **Caveat:** The discussion doesn't provide the exact margin specifications (e.g., mm measurements) that Booker requires. Members should contact Booker directly or their account manager to confirm precise margin dimensions before printing outer case labels, as this appears to be a common issue that can prevent stock from being scanned into their system.