• Best-By Date - This is the date that applies to QUALITY that a manufacturer will put on a product that indicates to the consumer that the product is "best by" that date, i.e. for the best taste/quality ...but it is NOT an expiration date. 
• End Cap - This is the display at the end of the aisle or shelving - often where special sale or seasonal items are displayed. 
• J-hook - a hook attached to the front of a shelf to display items. 
• PLU - Price Look Up code this is the 4 or 5 digit number on the sticker on your fruits and vegetables.  This code helps our cashiers link a product with a price when that number is entered into our registers.
• RTE - Ready-to-Eat a food item that is able to be consumed upon opening the packaging. (Ex: granola bar)
• Sell-by Date - This is a date a manufacturer will put on a product  aimed for the retailer for stocking purposes to tell us that this product should be sold on or before a specific date or should be removed from sale for best quality. This is NOT an expiration date and a product in your home past that date is typically still safe to consume. 
• UPC - Universal Product Code.  This is a bar code on packaging that is uniquely assigned to a product. 
• Use-By Date - This is a date put on a product by a manufacturer to indicate to consumers that the product should be used by a specific date. After that date the quality may be lessened. This is not a safety date except for infant formula. 
• Wand - a hand-held code reader for price checking and ordering. (You may see Ingles associates and manager using a wand to figure out which products to order.) 

Sources: Food Industry Association FMI; Food Industry Glossary; USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services Food Product Dating

Leah McGrath, RDN, LDN

Ingles Markets Corporate Dietitian

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800-334-4936