Thomas’ dots

I like to read the box at breakfast, or the carton, or the plastic bag. Thus I noticed a typographical oddity on the bag holding a loaf of Thomas’ Cinnamon Swirl Bread.

And before I go any further: no, Thomas’ is not as good as Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Swirl, but the Pepperidge Farm was gone. (There was, however, contra a recent claim, plenty of bread in the store.)

Here’s what caught my eye at breakfast:

[Larger view coming up.]

It’s not an apostrophe. It’s not ®, the registered sign. What is it? And what’s it doing there?

[Click for a even larger view.]

I’d call the customer-service number to inquire, but having called one such number to ask about Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and Best Foods Mayonnaise (is there a dividing line? if so, where?), I’m pretty sure I could expect to get nowhere. Let the mystery be a mystery.

I hope they have Pepperidge Farm next time.

[I’d spell it as Thomas’s, but it’s not my bread.]