PLU Codes on Fruit: What the 4 and 5 Digit Numbers Mean

Learn what 4- and 5-digit PLU codes on fruit stickers mean, whether an 8 or 9 prefix signals organic produce, and why most bananas carry the code 4011.

That small sticker on an apple or banana carries more information than most shoppers realize. The number printed on it, called a PLU code, tells a cash register exactly which product and variety it is looking at, and in some cases hints at how the item was grown. Here is what each digit actually means, and what it doesn't tell you.

What Do the Numbers on Fruit Stickers Mean?

The number is a PLU (price look-up) code, a four- or five-digit identifier assigned to a specific produce item by commodity, variety, and sometimes size. Cashiers key it in at checkout so the register applies the correct price, and retailers use the same number to track inventory.

PLU codes are standardized by the International Federation for Produce Standards (IFPS), a global nonprofit that maintains a public database of roughly 1,500 codes covering fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and herbs, according to IFPS's own PLU program documentation. A code is tied to one specific combination of commodity and variety, which is why a red Gala apple and a Honeycrisp apple carry different numbers even though both are "apples." Extension researchers at NC State note that items with several common varieties, like tomatoes, squash, and apples, end up needing many separate PLU codes to cover the different types sold at retail.

Retailers are not legally required to use PLU stickers. IFPS's own FAQ documentation states that no regulatory body mandates PLU labeling on loose produce; grocers adopt it voluntarily because it speeds up checkout and keeps inventory counts accurate across different varieties and sizes of the same fruit or vegetable.

What Does a PLU Code Starting With 3, 4, 8 or 9 Mean?

Codes starting with 3 or 4 are standard four-digit PLUs for conventionally grown produce. A leading 9 added to make a five-digit code (for example 94011) marks produce grown to organic standards. A leading 8 was once rumored to mean genetically modified, but IFPS has reassigned 8-prefix codes for ordinary conventional produce, so that prefix carries no GMO meaning today.

Most PLU codes fall in the 3000 to 4999 range, and these four-digit numbers simply identify a conventionally grown item, with no statement about organic status either way. When a retailer wants to flag organic produce, it adds a 9 to the front of the existing four-digit code rather than assigning a brand-new number, so an organic yellow banana becomes 94011 instead of 4011. This 9-prefix convention for organic produce is the one part of the "secret code" idea that is consistently documented by IFPS and reflected in extension-service guidance.

The 8-prefix-means-GMO claim is the part shoppers most often get wrong. Five-digit codes beginning with 8 were originally reserved as a placeholder for genetically modified produce, but because so few GMO fruits and vegetables are sold with individual stickers, that reservation was never widely used and the 8-series has since been freed up for general conventional-produce assignments. In practice, a PLU sticker cannot tell you whether an item is genetically modified. If GMO status matters to you, look for a USDA Organic seal instead, since organic certification rules out GMO seed and inputs, while plain "non-GMO" wording on packaging is a marketing claim rather than a verified code.

Are Bananas Always Coded 4011?

A standard yellow Cavendish banana, the most common variety sold in US and European grocery stores, is assigned PLU 4011 under the International Federation for Produce Standards' database. Other banana varieties and sizes carry different codes, and an organic yellow banana is labeled 94011 instead.

Because Cavendish bananas dominate global retail supply, 4011 has become the most recognized PLU code among shoppers, to the point that it shows up as a shorthand reference in pop culture and online discussion. But it only applies to that specific variety and size class. A plantain, a red banana, or a smaller "baby" banana variety is listed separately in the IFPS database under its own four-digit code, so "4011" is not a universal stand-in for every banana on a produce shelf, only the standard yellow Cavendish.

Do Produce Stickers Have Barcodes Too?

Yes. Many loose produce stickers carry a small GS1 DataBar barcode alongside the printed PLU number, so a scanner can read the item automatically instead of a cashier typing the code by hand. The human-readable PLU digits stay on the sticker as a backup when the barcode can't be scanned.

The GS1 DataBar (sometimes still called the "Reduced Space Symbology") was designed specifically for small items like produce stickers, where a full-size UPC-A barcode would not physically fit. According to IFPS's DataBar Implementation Global Guide, the barcode is meant to replace manual PLU entry at checkout while keeping the printed PLU code visible for stores and scanners that have not yet adopted the barcode. The GS1 DataBar is used only for loose or bulk produce; bagged salads, clamshells, and other pre-packaged produce typically carry a standard UPC-A or EAN-13 barcode instead, following the same rules covered in our barcode scanning guide. If you want to check what a produce DataBar actually encodes, you can scan one directly with our free online barcode and QR scanner, which reads GS1 DataBar symbols the same way it reads retail UPC and EAN codes.

Are PLU Codes Required by Law?

No single law requires PLU stickers on fresh produce in the United States. IFPS and industry extension programs describe PLU use as a voluntary, industry-driven standard that retailers adopt to speed up checkout, even though it is not enforced by a food-safety or labeling regulator.

That voluntary status is why PLU use varies by store and even by season. A farmers market or small grocer may skip stickers entirely and rely on hand-written signs and scale lookups, while large chains sticker nearly every loose item to keep registers accurate. When a code is used, though, it must come from the official IFPS database rather than being invented by an individual retailer, since the whole point of the system is that the same four-digit number means the same commodity and variety everywhere it appears. For businesses that print their own retail or shipping barcodes rather than relying on PLU stickers, our guide to getting a barcode for a product covers how GTIN assignment and GS1 membership work.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What do the numbers on fruit stickers mean?
The number is a PLU (price look-up) code, a four- or five-digit identifier assigned to a specific produce item by commodity, variety, and sometimes size. Cashiers key it in at checkout so the register applies the correct price, and retailers use the same number to track inventory.
What does a PLU code starting with 3, 4, 8 or 9 mean?
Codes starting with 3 or 4 are standard four-digit PLUs for conventionally grown produce. A leading 9 added to make a five-digit code (for example 94011) marks produce grown to organic standards. A leading 8 was once rumored to mean genetically modified, but IFPS, the organization that assigns PLU codes, has reassigned 8-prefix codes for ordinary conventional produce, so that prefix carries no GMO meaning today.
Are bananas always 4011?
A standard yellow Cavendish banana, the most common variety sold in US and European grocery stores, is assigned PLU 4011 under the International Federation for Produce Standards' database. Other banana varieties and sizes carry different codes, and an organic yellow banana is labeled 94011 instead.
Do produce stickers have barcodes?
Yes. Many loose produce stickers carry a small GS1 DataBar barcode alongside the printed PLU number, so a scanner can read the item automatically instead of a cashier typing the code by hand. The human-readable PLU digits stay on the sticker as a backup when the barcode can't be scanned.