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Part of the EU Customs Reform - Product Identifiers (PID). From 1 November 2026 you need to add two pieces of product data in Shopify. Your SKU already reaches us and needs no action. You do all of it in Shopify admin: create two metafield definitions, then populate them on your variants.
What the requirement is, who it applies to, the timeline, the three identifiers and Global-e’s role as declarant on your EU orders are covered on the EU Customs Reform - Product Identifiers (PID) overview page.

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What you need to do

For what each identifier is, see The three identifiers on the overview page. The metafields are set per variant, not per product. A barcode belongs to a specific sellable item — a size M black t-shirt has a different barcode from a size L. Use product-level metafields only if the product has a single variant, or if the value is genuinely identical across every variant.

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What to do — three steps

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Step 1 · Create the two metafield definitions

Go to Settings → Custom data → Variants → Add definition and create both of the following.
Enter these exactly as shown. Changing the name, the namespace and key, or the content type will stop Global-e from reading the values, and your orders will be submitted without the identifiers.

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Step 2 · Populate the metafields on your variants

You can edit values individually, or in bulk using the Shopify bulk editor, a CSV import, or the Admin API.
  • standardcode — set per variant. It normally differs across sizes and colours.
  • mididentifier — required on every variant. Often identical across all variants of a product, so it usually bulk-edits cleanly.
Already using Shopify’s Barcode field? Many merchants already store their GTIN/EAN/UPC in Shopify’s native variant Barcode field. Global-e reads the standardcode metafield, not the Barcode field, so you will need to copy those values across. The fastest route is a CSV export of your variants, mapping the Barcode column into the standardcode metafield column, then re-importing.

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If a product has no standardcode

Leave standardcode empty. Global-e automatically declares to customs that no standardised identifier exists for that item. This is a valid, compliant outcome — you do not need to invent a barcode.
Do not enter placeholder values. Never use NA, N/A, 0, -, a blank space, or your SKU repeated. An empty field is handled correctly. A placeholder is sent to customs as though it were a real barcode, fails matching, and creates exactly the customs problem this requirement exists to prevent.

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The manufacturer product code is always required

mididentifier must be populated for every variant. Unlike the barcode, there is no automatic fallback. This is a non-standardised identifier — it is not checked against any global barcode registry, so it does not need to be a formally issued manufacturer code. It is simply the best product reference you hold from the supply side. Use the first of these that applies:
  1. The manufacturer’s product code (sometimes called MPN or manufacturer reference)
  2. The product’s model name or model number
  3. The purchase or supplier SKU — the code your supplier uses for the item
  4. Your own product or style code, if you manufacture the item yourself
Because option 4 always exists as a last resort, every product has a valid value. If you sell unbranded or generic goods with no identifiable manufacturer, use the model name or the purchase SKU. Check your PIM or purchasing system before assuming you do not have this — it is often already stored as “MPN”, “supplier part number” or “manufacturer reference”.
Do not fake this field. Do not enter NA, 0, -, unknown, or a generic description such as “t-shirt”. These are transmitted to customs as though they were real identifiers.

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Keeping it accurate after go-live

Add both metafields to your product-creation process. New variants added after go-live will not inherit these values automatically, and a product launched without them will ship without identifiers. Re-check coverage after any catalogue migration, PIM change or bulk update.

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Questions

Do I need to update the Global-e Shopify app? No. Global-e reads the two metafields you create in Shopify admin. I already fill in Shopify’s Barcode field. Isn’t that enough? Not currently — Global-e reads the standardcode metafield. Copy your barcode values across, and populate both going forward. What if a product genuinely has no barcode? Leave standardcode empty. Global-e handles the customs declaration automatically. What if I don’t have the manufacturer’s product code? You almost certainly have something that works. This identifier is not validated against any registry, so a model name, model number, or the purchase SKU your supplier uses are all acceptable. If you manufacture the item yourself, use your own product code. Does this apply to low-value orders? Yes. There is no minimum order value. Does this affect my UK, US or other non-EU orders? No. EU-27 destinations only. Is this the same as the US manufacturer identification (MID)? No. Different regulation, different field. Keep them separate. Can I use product-level metafields instead of variant-level? Only for single-variant products, or where the value is truly identical across all variants. Barcodes almost always vary by variant, so variant level is the right default. Who do I contact? Your Global-e CSM.