There are a few things to note when getting your artwork ready for a barcode.
The 80% Rule: With barcodes, we recommend never going below 80% of “actual size”. Below you will see a sample barcode. You can open this PDF into Illustrator if you need to and use this barcode as an example when sizing your barcode (or when creating room on your design for us to place a barcode onto).
The Height & Width Rule: You can reduce the height of the barcode if you need more room but do not reduce the width!
The “DO NOT DISTORT” Rule: Many barcode readers will have problems reading your barcode if it’s any smaller than 80%. You’ve probably seen barcodes smaller than what we show here, but you’ve probably also been stuck in a check out line when some product can’t be read by the barcode reader. Be sure to never distort the image. Below are some examples of what not to do…
Reference and save our Keeping Barcodes In Line guide.