HOW and WHY to Read BAR CODES…

Many more toys, food, and pet products now come from China, which is experiencing an economic expansion too great for their regulatory and safety system to keep apace.  This has led to some tragic and well-publicized results.

In addition, labor organizing is illegal in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) – leading to child-labor, unsafe working conditions, devastating environmental damage, slave-labor, and few of the protections that our ancestors here in America fought and died for.

As a result of effective education campaigns regarding the conditions from whence our purchases come, many products sold here no longer list where they were made, just where the distributor is located.

You can take a quick the bar code to track it’s origin. (see image below)
If the first 3 digits of the barcode are 690, 691 or 692, the product is MADE IN  CHINA.

690-692   =     MADE IN    CHINA
00 -  09    =      USA   &   CANADA
30 – 37 =          FRANCE
40 – 44 =       GERMANY
471 =              TAIWAN
49  =              JAPAN
50   =            UK

It’s easy, and there are probably phone apps to tell you even more -  if not, sounds like a good one for someone to write!

Hope this tip helps inform your holiday shopping!