What does a European Article Number (EAN) specifically identify?

The European Article Number (EAN) specifically identifies a material. It is a unique identifier used primarily for retail products, allowing for easy tracking and management of items sold in stores. The EAN provides essential information about the product, such as its category, manufacturer, and specific characteristics related to the item itself. This numeric code assists retailers and suppliers in inventory management, pricing, and sales recording, making it an integral part of the supply chain for materials.

In the context of supply chain management, knowing the exact identification of materials such as products through EANs helps in improving efficiency within inventory control and sales processing systems. This focus on material identification is why the EAN is predominantly used in various industries, especially in retail, to uniquely distinguish one product from another.