What Those Numbers on Fruit Stickers Really Mean | July 27, 2025

Labels offer invaluable information from safety warnings on cleaning supplies to nutrition information on products sold in grocery stores. One particular label, the numbers on fruit stickers, are found in most grocery stores and provide surprisingly useful information. Here’s what they mean.

Numbers on Fruit Stickers like 9

Most people know that bar codes on grocery store products are helpful for the registers to identify how much the item should ring up. However, the numbers on fruit stickers do more than inform the computer what to do. For instance, the numbers on fruit stickers that start with 9 and have 5 digits indicate the food has been organically grown.

Number 8

Another example is the number 8. Numbers on fruit stickers that begin with 8, and are a 5-digit code mean the product has been genetically modified. However, GMO foods are controversial as some have raised concerns about the correlation between allergies or other health risks and GMO foods. Additionally, scientists are still evaluating the long-term health impacts, and little is known about the future effects. Therefore, these are rare as only a few GMO foods are widely sold.

4-Digit Code

Source: Shutterstock

Lastly, a 4-digit code starting with either a 3 or 4 signifies the food isn’t organically grown. Instead, it has likely been “conventionally grown.“

What is Conventional Growth
A crop field with blue sky in the background.
Photo Credit: Meganelford0 | Pixabay
When referring to produce, most people have heard the term organic, believing it to be healthier or more nutrient-dense. However, studies have shown no difference between organic and conventional methods in terms of nutritional value. The primary difference between organic and conventional growth is how they’re fertilized. Organic produce uses organic matter like compost and is mechanically or biologically treated for weeds. Whereas, conventional methods use synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. There has been some debate about the environmental impacts, and possible future health complications, involving conventional food-growth methods. However, according to Dr. Tamika D. Sims, the senior director of food technology communications in Atlanta Georgia, both organic and synthetic fertilizers have been “federally regulated.”

Dr. Sims Elaborates
Assortment of fruits around a sign that says I heart vitamins.
Photo Credit: Ajale | Pixabay
Dr. Sims adds that she believes people should be more concerned with eating a well-balanced diet with a lot of variety for a healthier life, rather than focusing on the numbers on fruit stickers representing an organically grown product.

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