How to Read a Produce Sticker: The Definitive PLU Decoder
Every tiny oval sticker on supermarket fruit contains a standardized code governed by international agricultural bodies. Here is how to decode every digit, prefix, and label.
The 4 Anatomical Zones of a Produce Sticker
Names the fruit type or orchard packer brand (e.g. Driscoll’s, Chiquita, Sunkist).
4 digits = Conventional. 5 digits starting with 9 = Certified Organic. Identifies size class, cultivar, and harvest grading.
High-density 2D barcode read by optical checkout scanners. Encodes the PLU, lot number, and GTIN global trade item number.
Mandated by federal law in the United States, Canada, and the EU. Discloses where the fruit was grown and harvested.
Snap & Auto-Decode Any Produce Sticker
AI VisionDon’t want to type in digits? Use your phone camera to snap your fruit sticker. Our multimodal vision scanner extracts the PLU, detects organic status, and pulls the COOL origin country in seconds.
Decoding the Prefix: 4 Digits vs. 5 Digits
| Prefix Format | Meaning | Example | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Digits (3000–4999) | Conventionally grown produce using standard agronomic practices | #4011 (Cavendish Banana) | Active Global Standard |
| 5 Digits starting with 9 | USDA Certified Organic or equivalent international organic standard | #94011 (Organic Banana) | Active Global Standard |
| 5 Digits starting with 8 | Historically reserved for Genetically Modified (GMO), but never adopted by retail growers | #84011 (Unused) | Retired by IFPS in 2015 |
Note on the 8-prefix myth: Internet rumors claimed that produce with an 8-prefix was GMO. In reality, retail growers never used the 8 prefix because GMO labeling was not mandatory on stickers. In 2015, the IFPS officially retired the 8 prefix designation to use it as additional number series (83000–84999) for conventional produce as standard numbers fill up.
Produce stickers do not just identify the fruit—they define the precise commercial size grade. For example, a small Hass avocado is PLU #4046, while a large Hass avocado is PLU #4225. Because avocados are sold by the piece, cash registers need distinct PLUs to charge different unit prices.
The 2002 US Farm Bill mandated Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) for fresh produce. Packers must clearly stamp the origin country on the sticker or the grocery store must display it on the shelf placard. This single requirement is what allows consumers to verify where their food traveled from.
Have a Sticker in Hand Right Now?
Snap a photo with our camera scanner or enter the 4-digit PLU and origin to map its exact farm-to-shelf route, food miles, and post-harvest age.