| UPC barcode | EPC | |
|---|---|---|
| Identifies | A product class: all units share one code GS1 barcodes | An individual item, via serialisation GS1 |
| Carrier | Printed optical barcode, read one at a time with line of sight | Usually a RAIN RFID tag, read in bulk without line of sight |
| Governed by | GS1 barcode standards GS1 barcodes | GS1 EPC/RFID standards and the Tag Data Standard GS1 TDS |
| Enables | Point-of-sale scanning, basic stock keeping | Item-level inventory, authentication, precise recall, tolling through the supply chain |
| Relationship | The GTIN inside the UPC... | ...is embedded in the SGTIN form of the EPC, plus a serial number |
Can one item carry both?
Routinely, and most tagged retail items do: the printed barcode serves the till and the human, the RFID-carried EPC serves the inventory system, and because SGTIN embeds the same GTIN, the two identities reconcile perfectly GS1 TDS. They are not competitors; the EPC is the barcode's serial-numbered descendant.
The fuller story of the identifier is on the Electronic Product Code page; the acronym's unrelated meanings, certificate included, are indexed at meanings.