The Food We Buy

What Do Food Codes and Labels Really Mean? A Grocery Store Myth Explained

A casual comment in a grocery store produce aisle, that a number code on avocados meant they were genetically modified, highlights a common source of confusion for shoppers in British Columbia and across Canada.

While food packaging and produce stickers are covered in numbers, symbols, and statements, not all of them mean what many consumers think they do.

In Canada, food labelling is regulated federally by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

The agency emphasizes that only specific wording and symbols carry legally defined meaning, while many commonly cited “codes” are used strictly for inventory, pricing, or traceability.

PLU Codes on Produce: Not GMO Indicators

The small four- or five-digit stickers found on fruits and vegetables are known as Price Look-Up (PLU) codes. These numbers are assigned by the international Produce Marketing Association to help retailers identify produce at checkout.

CFIA does not regulate PLU codes, and they are not used in Canada to identify genetically modified foods.

A common myth suggests that:

• Four-digit codes mean “conventional”

• Five-digit codes starting with “9” mean “organic”

• Five-digit codes starting with “8” mean “GMO”

While retailers may use the “9” prefix for organic produce in practice, the “8 = GMO” designation is not used in Canada and has largely been abandoned internationally. CFIA states that PLU codes should not be relied upon to determine whether a product is genetically modified.

Canada permits certain genetically modified foods, but there is no mandatory GMO labelling requirement, and PLU codes are not an approved method of disclosure.

Country-of-Origin Statements Are the Reliable Indicator

For foods where origin labelling is required — such as imported fresh produce — the country of origin must be stated clearly, either on the sticker, packaging, or bin signage.

This information, not the PLU code, is the reliable way to determine where produce was grown.

Inspection Legends and Establishment Numbers

On meat and some processed foods, shoppers may see a CFIA inspection legend, an oval stamp containing the word “Canada” and an establishment number. This indicates the product was inspected in a federally licensed Canadian facility.

However, the inspection legend does not confirm the animal was raised in Canada, only that processing occurred here under federal standards.

Establishment numbers are used for traceability and recalls and identify the specific facility where food was processed or packaged.

“Packed in,” “Prepared in,” and “Product of”

Wording on food labels can be easily misunderstood:

• “Packed in Canada” means the product was packaged domestically, not necessarily grown here.

• “Prepared in Canada” indicates some processing occurred in Canada.

• “Product of [Country]” confirms the country where the food was produced or substantially transformed.

  
  

Only “Product of Canada” and “Made in Canada” claims have strict legal definitions under federal law.

Dates, Lot Codes, and Barcodes

Best-before dates indicate quality, not safety, and do not reveal where a product came from. Lot codes, often a mix of letters and numbers, are used for recalls and internal tracking.

Barcodes beginning with certain digits identify the organization that issued the code, not the country where the food was produced. A barcode starting with “0” or “6,” for example, does not mean a product was made in North America.

No Shortcut Codes for “Local” or “GMO-Free”

CFIA advises consumers that there is no universal numeric code that reveals whether a product is local, organic, or genetically modified. Terms such as “local,” “artisan,” or “natural” are not origin claims and are not tightly regulated.

What Shoppers Should Look For

According to CFIA guidance, the most reliable information comes from:

• Clear country-of-origin statements

• Regulated claims such as “Product of Canada” or “Made in Canada”

• Organic certification logos issued by accredited bodies

  
  

Codes and numbers may help retailers manage inventory and recalls, but they are not designed to communicate origin or genetic modification status to consumers.