Mobile Apps Fighting Packaging-Label Confusion

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By G+ Author: Chris Warren.

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These days there is an app for everything…including packaging. These two apps help make it easier to read through the confusing packaging labels we encounter on the everyday.

GoodGuide-eco-label-clutterGuideGuide is an app by GoodGuide, Inc. that helps you cut through all of the green and health information scattered on your packages.Consumers want to do the right thing when it comes to purchasing green products however the label-clutter is discouraging when trying to determine if a product is in fact eco-friendly. GoodGuide is a mobile app that allows shoppers to cut through this clutter; photographing a product’s barcode provides instant access to an overall “green” score.

Much like NuVal, the GoodGuide score aggregates most of the concerns of an eco-conscious consumer. In an article we wrote last year we list the three major factors affecting the GoodGuide score:

  • Performance: what is the carbon impact of the product? Have there been any recalls or controversies related to the product?
  • Policy: does the company producing the product have any environmental goals/policies in place?
  • Product: the environmental impact of the product’s ingredients and packaging

In some cases, products labeled organic or eco-friendly are actually worse for the environment than their “traditional” counterparts. The emergence of technologies like GoodGuide make it more important than ever that companies research and back up the claims on their labels. GoodGuide is free in the Appstore and Playstore.

Fooducate-mobile-app-packaging-nutritionFooducate-mobile-app-packaging-nutritionFooducate-mobile-app-packaging-nutritionFooducate is very similar to GoodGuide, but instead of focusing on the earth’s needs it focuses on yours. Fooducate scans barcodes and gives the product a “nutrition grade.” In addition, it gives you the products pros and cons and recommends healthier alternatives. Fooducate has a variety of apps in the Appstore and Playstore ranging from free to $4.99.