InfoCons

InfoCons

About this app

The InfoCons App helps you become an educated consumer by bringing at the tip of your finger tons of vital information about your food choices, the electrical appliances and other non-food products are sold in your area, as well as emergency numbers from all around the world.
The InfoCons app is a tool dedicated to consumer protection!
Regardless of your location or spoken language, you can query the InfoCons database by scanning the barcode of any food product, the QR code of any electrical appliance (such as, fridges, freezers and wins storage units, washing machines, dishwashers, washer-dryers, televisions, monitors and other displays, air conditions, range hoods and many others, sold in the EU after 2019) or by using the search field available on the first screen.
A successful food product identification , after scanning the barcode brings you the following options and details:
(1) General information, such as name, manufacturer, ingredients and image;
(2) Information about the additives the product contains, starting with the number, the names and, for logged in users, the definitions;
(3) Highlighted allergen list;
(4) The calculator, which you can use to estimate the number of calories you eat based on quantity and the amount of time you should walk, run or pedal to burn them;
(5) Warnings signaled by the European Union, as well as other countries, for that product type;
(6) Markers based on your preferences: the app highlights the values that are not in accordance with your choices, set by you through the “My Choice” section (for logged in users);
(7) Possibility to save the product in a lightbox, called “Saved products”, from where you can analyze them further (for logged in users);
(8) Recycle options
(9) Complaint form, which you can use to file a complaint in certain conditions (for logged in users);
(10) Fill missing details form, which you can use to add details that you believe are lacking from the product description or ingredients list (for logged in users).
A successful electronic appliance identification brings you the following options and details:
(1) General information such as name, manufacturer, technical details;
(2) Manufacturer details;
(3) The calculator, which you can use to estimates the products energy consumption
(4) The product comparison widget.
Inside the Saved products section, a logged in user will find all saved products and a scan log. By selecting a set of saved products, you can check out their added values for salt, sugar, additives and calories. Also, each additive is explained and counted.
The app also features a SOS section, where you’ll find emergency numbers from all around the world.
InfoCons – is an NGO, apolitical, representative, private, non-profit, distinct and indivisible, independent consumer association based on democratic principles, which defends consumer rights and, also, a founding member of the Federation of Consumer Associations.
Content in the app is available in 33 languages.

Ratings and reviews

After hearing in a podcast about the use and facility's of the app, I have tried it, and it still needs a lot of products to be added. The advertisement was that you can see in your own language products from other countries, yet I don't see this with a product from Switzerland, it's recognized but the ingredients list is German. How should the translate work? Only if logged in? Who checks if the ingredients are correctly introduced? Thank you. Keep up the good work and updates! Alex

It is a great initiative for informing the citizens. I really like the Alerts and SOS buttons. Sos is especially good when travelling. However, it still needs a lot of work in populating the database. I gave 5 starts because it has a lot of potential and I believe it would be an useful tool for consumer information.

The ideea is great, but scanning a milk bottle did not find the product, so the database of products can be improved. It would be nice to let the user know that you need to be logged in in order to scan a product. Scanning a product while not logged in does not inform the user why it's not scanning