How to get a numeric code?
Enterprising entrepreneurs or breeders often established a new variety of vegetable or fruit, which has been tested and verified as safe for consumption. If they wish to market their newly established produce they may want to register the product and get a PLU code for the purpose of channeled marketing. To obtain a PLU, the product must fulfill a few criteria. The product will have to be sold in unprocessed form in a retail market and it will be priced by its weight. Cut fruits or vegetables, or peeled or a mixed fruit platter will not be considered for a PLU code. A detail regarding the produce variety needs to be furnished and this is important, since the market prices are fixed based on the uniqueness and the USP (unique-selling-point) of the produce. Also the PLU will be different for the same produce if it has a different size variation or a color variation. The countries where this produce is intended to be sold will have to be mentioned; to get a PLU the product must be marketed in more than one country. All applications that are received for a PLU are reviewed at national and international level before making its way to the IFPS board for finalization. The IFPS will post the application on its website to receive valuable comments from the corporate or industrial sector. PLU is usually not granted to a produce which is not available at the global produce market or a produce that may be available from multiple growers. Also for a PLU application, the applicant must have a letter from at least three to four different retail organizations, each of which has at least 25 chains of retail stores under its flagship, who agree to utilize the PLU in their retail operations. The process fee charged is $250 for each new application considered by the IFPS, and this amount is non-refundable. Entrepreneurs, who have already been granted PLU codes, report that the entire process of getting a PLU code is fast, smooth and easy. Once an application is accepted, the applicant will receive a member-kit along with the code. Each PLU can be printed and attached to the produce so that it is easily scanned at the register. PLU is a good way to keep a track on your produce and have a market analytics done on the business generated by a...
Read MoreWhy do we need Numeric codes
Today we are not just citizens of our country but also a global citizen, with most of us having trotted half the globe. Similarly our foods and produces too have undergone globalization. About half a century back, who would have thought that an Indian Alphonso mango would make its way into the platter of a US senator and likewise a Kiwi becoming a favorite fruit of an Indian prince? The food we consume every day, many of which have travelled far and wide. With urbanization most of us are conscious about our health and our food intake. In many ways the PLU codes are the mouth piece of the fruits and vegetables we purchase. Conventional produce are the fruits and vegetables which have been sprayed with pesticides and insecticides to keep it safe from insect and pest infestation. These chemicals form a layer on the produce and needs to be rinsed thoroughly to ensure we are not consuming any pesticides. On the other hand organic produce are the fruits and vegetables which do not use any chemicals, from the time its sown to the time it is harvested no chemical are used for organic produce. Genetically modified foods are foods produced from genetically modified organisms (GMOs), specifically, genetically modified crops. GMOs have specific changes introduced into their DNA by sleek genetic engineering technologies. These are however technical details and for a consumer when an orange that is conventionally produced, organically produced and a genetically modified are presented; all three will appear to be similar. There was a need to introduce the consumer to the product they are buying and thus the PLU code was introduced as a step to help the consumers and the retailers to identify the type of products. Also the tags help in identifying the place of origin of the produce. There are PLU codes for most of the fruits and vegetables, however for procures such as beans, mushrooms, grapes it is difficult to tag the product. A retailer can apply for new PLU codes for their produce; the application is given to IFPS, which has the authority o grant a new PLU code or reject the application. An important point that deserves a mention here, is that, a product that is marketed in more than two countries will have PLU codes and not otherwise. Also if the cultivar or variety is subject to patent or trademark protection, a PLU number will not be assigned to that patented or trademarked...
Read MoreHow to decipher numeric codes
The new age consumers are more health conscious and moreover it is the basic human right to know what we are buying and what goes inside our system. This is precisely where the numeric codes come handy. Price look-up codes, commonly called PLU codes, are basically identification numbers affixed to produce in grocery stores and supermarkets to make inventory control easier and accurate. The codes are usually a four or a five-digit number, currently in the 3000–4999 range, identifying the type of bulk produce, including the variety. The fifth digit is usually used specifically on non-conventionally grown product, such as organic produce which are generally considered as a much healthier option, this organic produce is prefixed by a ‘9’. Similarly genetically modified produce is denoted by the prefix ‘8’.currently there is a lot of hue and cry regarding the consumption and safety of genetically modified or GM foods, with majority of the consumers voting against GM foods. These prefixes can be reliably used by consumers and buyers to decipher if the product is genetically modified or not and use this information to make up their mind whether or not to buy the product. In July 2012 Produce PLU Codes User’s Guide prepared by the International Federation for Produce Standards specified that three categories have been established for categorizing food produce. A ‘9’ identifies organic produce, an ‘8’ indicates genetically modified produce, and a ‘0’ or no fifth digit indicates non-qualified produce. PLU codes have been in use since 1990, and as per the PLU guide there are over 1400 PLU codes assigned as of 2012. Use of PLU codes eliminates the task of the grocery store checkers to identify each variety of produce. The process of organic produce and conventional produce vary quite a bit; the use pf PLU code is an advantage as one can easily identify the difference between the two by looking at the code, this is especially important with the growth of the organic produce market. The Price look-up codes are generally printed on small stickers or tags and are glued on the surface of the product. Since 2006, the 4-digit code is often supplemented by a GS1 DataBar Stacked Omnidirectional barcode, as per the information provided by the IFPS. New technologies are under consideration to replace the tags and stickers currently in use. These including etching using lasers and printing or “tattooing” using ink made from substances such as the juice from blueberries. The adhesive used to attach the stickers is considered to be of food-grade, howeer the stickers themselves aren’t...
Read MoreFollow Us
