Have you ever wondered why there are stickers on your produce and what they really mean?
Price Look-Up codes, or PLU codes, are identification numbers put on produce and other products to make check-out at stores faster and more accurate. You’ll be surprised to know that those stickers can also tell you whether or not a product is organic or conventionally grown.
The first step is to count the number of digits on the sticker.
- A conventionally grown product (grown with chemical assistance) will have a 4 digit PLU code. (Example: conventionally grown Red Delicious apple: 4015)
- An organic product will have a 5 digit code starting with the number 9. (Example: organic Red Delicious apple: 94015)
Below: A PLU code of 94090 on a bag of organic spinach.
picture courtesy of bedfordind.com
