Shipping palletised goods to Europe, the Gulf or North America? Learn what an SSCC pallet label contains, how the GS1-128 barcode and Application Identifier (00) work, how the label is laid out and which size and material survive the journey.
Sooner or later, every manufacturer shipping to an overseas customer runs into the same question: what should the pallet label look like? Distribution centres and large retailers want to receive an incoming pallet by scanning a single barcode. What makes that possible is a GS1 logistic label: a pallet label that carries an 18-digit SSCC encoded in a GS1-128 barcode. This guide explains what an SSCC label is, how the GS1-128 barcode works, how the label is laid out and which size and material to choose for an export shipment.
What is a pallet label and what does it do?
A pallet label is a logistic label that uniquely identifies one shipping unit (a pallet, a carton or another load unit) across the entire supply chain. A product label describes a single item on the shelf; a pallet label tells everyone who handles the shipment where the pallet comes from, where it is going and what is on it. Goods receipt, dispatch checks, customs and bonded warehouse processes, returns and traceability all run through this label.
You will also hear it called a logistics label, shipping label or SSCC label. What they all share is a single unique number at the heart of the label: the SSCC. When the barcode is scanned, the receiver's warehouse management system matches the pallet against the electronic despatch advice (ASN/DESADV) sent in advance, and knows what is inside without opening it.
What is an SSCC? The 18-digit Serial Shipping Container Code
The SSCC (Serial Shipping Container Code) is an 18-digit number assigned once to each logistic unit; the same number is never reused for another pallet. In German-speaking markets the very same number is called the NVE (Nummer der Versandeinheit), so when a German customer asks for an “NVE-Etikett”, they are asking for an SSCC label.
An SSCC is generally built like this:
- Extension digit (1 digit): a digit the company can use freely to extend its numbering capacity.
- GS1 Company Prefix: issued to your company through GS1 membership by your local GS1 member organisation (GS1 Türkiye for companies based in Türkiye).
- Serial reference: the running number the company assigns to each pallet; the longer the prefix, the shorter this part.
- Check digit (1 digit): calculated with the GS1 algorithm to catch reading errors.
A point that is often misunderstood: the SSCC is created by the shipper, not by the label manufacturer. Without your own GS1 Company Prefix you cannot create a valid SSCC, and many receivers check that the prefix really belongs to you.
The GS1-128 barcode and Application Identifiers
The SSCC is printed on the label as a GS1-128 barcode. GS1-128 is the Code 128 symbology used under GS1 rules, and it tells the scanner what each piece of data means through Application Identifiers (AIs) shown in brackets. The AI for the SSCC is (00): in the human-readable line under the barcode you will see (00) followed by the 18 digits.
Other AIs you will often find on a GS1-128 pallet label:
- (02) GTIN of the trade items contained on the pallet
- (37) count of trade items on the pallet
- (10) batch or lot number
- (15) best-before date and (17) expiry date
- (400) customer's purchase order number and (410) ship-to GLN
Which AIs are mandatory is your customer's call. Some retailers want only the SSCC; others also want contents, quantity and lot in the barcode. Always ask for the customer's labelling specification before the first shipment.
How is a GS1 logistic label laid out?
According to GS1 guidelines, a logistic label is typically divided into three sections, ordered so that both people and scanners find what they need quickly:
| Section | Content | Read by |
|---|---|---|
| Top | Free text: shipper and consignee names and addresses, logo, handling notes | Staff |
| Middle | Human-readable data with clear field titles: SSCC, contents, quantity, lot, dates | Staff and checks |
| Bottom | GS1-128 barcodes with their human-readable lines; the SSCC is usually the lowest barcode | Scanners |
Placement follows generally accepted rules as well: a label is usually applied to two adjacent sides of the pallet, so it can be read whichever way a forklift approaches. For exact label height, distance from the pallet edge and barcode dimensions, check GS1's current logistic label guideline and your customer's specification rather than relying on rules of thumb.
Choosing pallet label size and material
The most common pallet label sizes are around 100 × 150 mm, close to A6, and 4 × 6 inches (about 102 × 152 mm), the format commonly used for shipping labels in North America. Both comfortably hold the three sections and several barcodes, and both are standard formats on most industrial thermal printers. Yayex cuts labels from 20 × 10 mm up to 100 × 150 mm; if you need a larger format, please contact us.
The deciding factor for material is how long, and in what conditions, the label has to stay readable:
| Material | Printing method | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|
| Coated paper | Thermal transfer (with ribbon) | Long storage, warehouse and export shipments; print resists rubbing and light better |
| Top-coated thermal | Direct thermal | Cold chain, food logistics, short to medium transit |
| Eco thermal | Direct thermal | Short-lived internal shipments, fast-moving pallets |
| White PP | Thermal transfer | Outdoor exposure, moisture, rain and tearing risk; long journeys and open-yard storage |
For long sea freight, waiting in an open yard or pallets that will sit in a warehouse for months, coated paper or PP printed by thermal transfer is the safer choice; direct thermal print can fade over time under heat and light. Choosing the right adhesive for corrugated board or stretch film matters as much as the face material. For exact temperature and resistance limits, check the material's technical data sheet or test a sample under your own conditions. Our blank thermal and coated paper labels come with core sizes and winding directions that fit Zebra, TSC, Argox and Godex printers.
Export pallet label checklist
- Get your GS1 Company Prefix. Apply through your local GS1 organisation (GS1 Türkiye in Türkiye); your SSCCs and GTINs are built on it.
- Ask for the customer's labelling specification. Mandatory AIs, number of labels and placement can differ from one receiver to the next.
- Give every pallet a new SSCC. Never reuse a number, and make sure each one matches the despatch advice one-to-one.
- Test the print. Before the first shipment, scan the barcode with several different scanners and, where possible, check print quality with a barcode verifier.
- Choose the right material. Match it to transit time and conditions: thermal transfer on coated paper or PP for long journeys.
- Don't forget the paperwork. Confirm requirements such as the ISPM-15 mark on wooden pallets and the EUR.1 movement certificate for shipments claiming preferential tariffs with your forwarder and customs broker.
Yayex exports labels to Europe, the Gulf and the Americas. We ship in export packaging on ISPM-15 stamped wooden pallets with the movement and origin documents required by the destination country (e.g. A.TR, EUR.1), and prepare a technical and commercial offer (PDF and Excel) with EXW line-item prices and separately quoted CPT/CFR freight. To request labels from abroad, use our export quotation (RFQ) page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I print SSCC labels myself?
Yes. If you have a GS1 Company Prefix, you can generate SSCCs in your own software and print them on a thermal printer. All you need is blank thermal or coated paper labels in the right size and, for thermal transfer, a suitable ribbon. The layout and barcode placement must follow GS1 rules and your customer's specification.
What is the difference between an SSCC and a GTIN?
A GTIN identifies a product type; thousands of identical items carry the same GTIN. An SSCC identifies one individual logistic unit; every pallet gets its own. A pallet label can carry both: the SSCC with AI (00) and the GTIN of the contained items with AI (02).
How many labels should go on a pallet?
GS1 guidelines generally recommend one label on each of two adjacent sides of the pallet. Some customers ask for a different number or position, so check your customer's specification and GS1's current logistic label guideline.
Is 100 × 150 mm the same as 4 × 6 inches?
Very close, but not identical: 4 × 6 inches is about 102 × 152 mm. Most printers and templates handle both; just set the page size in your label software to match the roll you load.
Conclusion
A good pallet label combines a unique SSCC, a correctly encoded GS1-128 barcode, a clearly sectioned layout and a material that survives the journey. Once numbering and specification are settled with GS1 and your customer, we can take care of the label itself: we have been producing barcode and roll labels at our own plant in Pendik, Istanbul since 1999, and in-stock rolls are dispatched the same day. See prices instantly with our quote calculator, or get in touch for custom sizes and materials.