Will mobile apps replace eco-labels?
Consumers are using barcode scanners to trace product origins
According to Organic Monitor, advances in mobile technology could herald the end of eco-labels. While eco-labels play an important role in marketing sustainable products, the company says some consumers are becoming disillusioned because of the shortcomings of many standards and a lack of transparency. In addition, a growing number of consumers are now turning to mobile technology applications for information.
Consumers seeking sustainable products can use apps like US-based GoodGuide to scan a product’s barcode and get details on its environmental, social and even economic footprint.
GoodGuide, says Organic Monitor, gives ratings for nearly 100,000 products and companies and will showcase surprising findings at the upcoming Sustainable Foods Summit; Nature’s Gate natural baby shampoo, for example, is said to be more toxic than a conventional Johnson & Johnson shampoo.
The major advantage of mobile technology is that it can give a holistic picture of a product’s sustainability credentials. Whereas the shortcoming of most eco-labels is that they look at certain ethical and/or ecological aspects in isolation.