Grocery stores may appear to be convenient, but they are much more devious than the average shopper thinks. Everything from where products are placed on the shelf and where the aisle are located to which items are on sale is carefully planned out. I'm sure you already know to not be taken in by products with lofty claims that are essentially meaningless. And every shopper should be savvy about animal products that sound humane.
One tip the savvy shopper can utilize to make the smartest shopping choices is the Price Look-Up Code (PLU). This code can tell the shopper just as much as it tells the cashier. The four or five digit code contains information about the type and the variety of the produce. You don't have to memorize the code; instead, knowing what they can tell you is enough. Conventional produce is marked with a four-digit code that begins with a 3 or a 4. Organic produce has five digits on the sticker, and the code begins with the number 9.
When genetically modified foods were introduced to grocery stores, their PLU codes began with an 8. After the industry realized consumers didn't actually want genetically engineered foods, they stopped using the 8 to identify them. This means that unless the food is 100 percent certified organic, it could be genetically modified. This is especially true for processed foods containing corn or soy ingredients or conttonseed oils. These foods are no longer marked with a special code to identify them, so there is no way for shoppers to actually know.
Calling something organic isn't always a cut and dried label. Instead, look for products labeled "100 Percent Organic" or "Certified Organic." Otherwise, foods simply labeled "organic" only need to have 95 percent of the ingredients actually be organic. And you'd be amazed by the things that can be snuck into that other five percent. Foods "made with organic ingredients" only need to have 70 percent of the ingredients be organic. Don't let the wholesome-sounding labels fool you!
The Price Look-Up Code isn't the only source of information at the grocery store. The Universal Product Code can also help the savvy shopper. If you have heard something bad about a certain food corporation and you want to avoid foods produced from that company, the UPC can help you out. Check the Universal Product Code (UPC) that's listed beneath the item's bar code. With a little detective work and some careful reading, you can avoid giving your money to companies you don't wish to support.
These are just a few tips to help you become a savvy shopper. Remember to always read the ingredient list so you know what you're getting!
