EAN-8 is a shortened form of EAN-13 designed for items where label space is limited. It encodes 7 user-supplied digits plus a Modulo-10 check digit for a total of 8.
When to use EAN-8
EAN-8 is allocated by GS1 only when the product surface is too small for EAN-13. It is commonly found on lipsticks, small confectionery packs, and medication blister packs. It is not a freely truncated form of EAN-13.
Scanning compatibility
All modern EAN/UPC scanners read EAN-8. The symbol is narrower than EAN-13 but requires the same quiet zones on each side.