Reading Bar Codes

[spetro]

HOW TO READ BAR CODES... (Very good to know) ALWAYS READ THE LABELS ON THE FOODS YOU BUY--NO MATTER WHAT THE FRONT OF THE BOX OR PACKAGE SAYS, TURN IT OVER AND READ THE BACK---CAREFULLY!
With all the food and pet products now coming from China, it is best to make sure you read labels at the grocery store and especially Wal-Mart when buying food products.
Many products no longer show where they were made, only give where the distributor is located. It is important to read the bar code to track its origin.
How to read Bar Codes.....interesting!
This may be useful to know when grocery shopping, if it's a concern to you.
GREAT WAY TO "BUY USA & CANADA"



The whole world is afraid of China-made "black hearted goods".
Can you differentiate which one is made in Taiwan or China?
If the first 3 digits of the barcode are 690, 691or 692, the product is MADE IN CHINA.....471 is Made in Taiwan.

This is our right to know, but we are not educated on this subject.
Chinese businessmen know that consumers do not prefer products "MADE IN CHINA", so they don't show from which country it is made.
However, you may now refer to the barcode - remember if the first 3 digits are:
690-692 ... then it is MADE IN CHINA
00 - 09 ... USA & CANADA
30 - 37. FRANCE
40 - 44 ... GERMANY
471 ... Taiwan
49 ... JAPAN
50 ... UK
BUY USA & CANADIAN MADE by watching for "0" at the beginning of the number. We need every boost we can get!
Go Figure!!
This year we will experience 4 unusual dates:
1-1-11, 1-11-11, 11-1-11, and 11-11-11
Now figure this one:
Add the last 2 digits of the year you were born to the age you will be this year and it will equal: 111
This year July has 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays, and 5 Sundays.
This apparently happens once every 823 years.
Go Figure!!

[bass1cpr]

   Thanks for the info Spetro I'll use the 111 thing for fun today. 

[Mike Cork]

Very cool information and I will definitely be using!

[tacoman78]

Thanks for the info, also i have learned (the hard way) to always check expiration dates on any food products you buy, especially living in a small town where the food doesnt move as fast and alot of times they do not rotate their food! So also be sure to check dates!

[GBAngler]

Pretty interesting stuff about the dates & the 111 thing! But the information concerning bar codes is somewhat misleading and unreliable to people on two counts:

1. There's more than one kind of bar code in use around the world. UPC bar codes, the type most commonly used in the United States are 12-digit codes, and do not typically contain a country identifier. A different type of bar code known as EAN-13 (13-digit code) does contain a country identifier, but it's more commonly used in Europe and other countries outside the U.S.

2.Even in the case of EAN-13 bar codes, the digits associated with country of origin don't necessarily specify where the product was manufactured, but rather where the bar code itself was registered. So, for example, a product manufactured in China and sold in France could have an EAN-13 bar code identifying it as a French product, OR a product manufactured in China and sold in the U.S. could have a UPC bar code.

Looking for a "Made in CHINA" label is generally more helpful, but, particularly with regard to foods and beverages, there's no sure-fire way to determine in every case where a product or its components originated. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration mandates country-of-origin labeling on many food products, but there are exceptions, most notably the entire category of "processed foods." Consumer groups are currently advocating the closure of these loopholes.

Hopefully, this clarifies things a little. And sorry to "stomp" on your post, spetro. I just didn't want these guys wasting time and getting confused next time they run to Wal-Mart or Brookshires! Lol!

[spetro]

The bar code thing I mention pertains to food only....fyi.  I checked the stuff in my cupboard and it does fit the post.  Only difference so far is that the country codes are off from the third digit.  Check your cupboard and I think you'll see what I mean.  As you stated there are loopholes but for the most part I have found the codes on Canadian, US, Thailand, China and Germany. The China code is on a bag of Walmart frozen shrimp. Thailand on some frozen snapper. 

[Industry]

Interesting stuff. I grow what I can at home, but I know everyone has to buy some items at the store. We are fortunate to know where most of our food comes from,  but for those things we have to buy at the supermarket this may prove very usefull.

[robrdavis]

A correction to your post, but only to add another "11" to the mix:

The calendar repeats itself every 11 years, therefore in 2022 July will again have 5 Fridays, 5 Saturdays and 5 Sundays.