People may be surprised to learn the meaning behind the '57' on Heinz ketchup bottles. They may also not have realised that the number serves a little-known functional purpose.
The popular ketchup - which has more than doubled in price at the supermarket over the past two years - is a staple in most British homes. Many will have noticed that glass bottles are sometimes branded by a signature '57 varieties' label.
But the '57' has much less meaning behind it than many may think. This is because the numbers were randomly selected by Henry Heinz after seeing another business advertising their many varieties of products.
The Heinz website explains: "When [Henry] spotted a shoe company advertising 21 styles of shoe, he was inspired to create our iconic ‘57 varieties’ slogan. Why 57? No one knows for sure.
"Henry claimed five was his lucky number, and seven was his wife’s. But he also believed seven was a significant number for people of all ages. Whatever his reasons the number stuck!"
However, as reported by LadBible, there may also be another reason for Henry Heinz's lucky numbers remaining on the bottle today. It's less about the numbers and more where they are located.
In a trivia section that was previously on its website, Heinz stated: "To release Heinz Tomato Ketchup from its glass bottle with extra speed, apply a firm tap to the spot marked '57' on the neck label."
So, as well as being a reminder of Henry's advertising savvy, the '57' can also be considered as something of a 'sweet spot' which will help your ketchup come out more easily.
In the UK, many Heinz ketchup bottles have the Royal Warrant in place of the numbers, but they must now reapply for versions issued by King Charles III. As the warrant is in the same location as the numbers, tapping it would still help you get your ketchup out.
This comes after many discovered what the 'HP' in HP Sauce stands for, despite there being a fairly obvious clue on the label. The staple browns sauce is actually named after the Houses of Parliament.
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