A new mobile phone application that identifies products’ green credentials is spreading across Europe. The free app, branded barcoo, is now available in the United Kingdom and France after being launched in Germany last year. The plan is for it to ultimately service all European markets with sustainability information on a general range of consumer goods, as well as retailers.
Driven by the phone’s camera function, which scans the product barcode and then delivers a traffic light recommendation – green for positive, red for negative and yellow for uncertain – barcoo offers independent data on various branded products. The advice is derived from a database of independently sourced producer information that evaluates environmental values of production and material sourcing, carbon use, animal welfare, staff relations and also how transparent the company concerned is in its communication with consumers.
The company producing the app is checkitmobile GmbH based in Germany, in Berlin-Kreuzberg. Currently it has been downloaded onto 1.4 million mobile phones in Germany.
“barcoo has been designed to encourage consumers to look deeper into the sustainability of the products they consume,” said Benjamin Thym, checkitmobile GmbH managing director. “Companies boast about the positive attributes of their organisation and its products in their marketing material and advertising campaigns which plays a large part in our purchasing decisions.
“Having information to hand that gives a more detailed picture of the brand, including its sustainability and ethics, will not only empower the shopper but will also push manufacturers towards further embracing the growing trend of being more green and ethical.”
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