ecoSwitch App

The ecoSwitch app provides Australian consumers a way of understanding the greenhouse impact of packaged foods and to choose alternatives to switch to that are less harmful to our planet. The app also displays expanded data on a product that includes sustainability-related information such as its country of origin information; level of processing using the NOVA classification; and sustainability claims, as well as its health and nutrition information.

The EcoSwitch app is available in Australia:

ecoSwitch Australia - [Android] [iOS]

 

 

 

To fulfil our vision of an optimised food system for human health and the health of our planet, we have developed a ‘Planetary Health Rating’ scheme to estimate the GHGe associated with different packaged foods. Our aim is to help consumers make more informed choices about the foods based on their climate impact by providing a product-specific rating and subsequently a ‘Switch’ that suggests alternative products that have a lower climate impact.

Our approach assigns a GHGe estimate to individual food and beverage products in five steps. Step 1 employs a mathematical technique to estimate the quantity of each of ingredient in a product using its ingredient list and nutrient information. In step 2, Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) data are used to provide estimates of the amount of GHGe associated with different Australian ingredients. In Step 3, these LCA data are applied to the ingredient breakdowns in Step 1 and then adjusted to include rough modifications for processing and transport to create individual GHGe scores for each item. In Step 4, the range of scores are used to create a Planetary Health Rating system from 0.5 stars to 5.0 stars. Finally, in Step 5, each item gets a star rating based on its GHGe score.

FAQs

What is ecoSwitch?

ecoSwitch will give you the Planetary Health Rating of packaged foods and identifies alternatives to switch to that are less harmful to our planet and at least as healthy for personal health based on the Health Star Rating. Detailed data on a product can easily be accessed by clicking on the scanned product of any of the suggested better choices. The data shown includes sustainability-related information such as its country-of-origin information; level of processing using the NOVA classification; and sustainability claims, as well as its health and nutrition information. You can access this through the app by scanning the product barcode using your smartphone camera.

How are better choices identified?

EcoSwitch identifies alternative products that are similar to the scanned item but are better for our planet based on their planetary health score and are at least as a healthy for personal health based on the Health Star Rating (HSR).

The HSR algorithm used is based on the nutrient profiling system, which was originally developed by Food Standards Australia New Zealand. It considers the different factors important to good nutrition, including fats, sugars, sodium, energy, protein, dietary fibre, fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes (FVNL) content, and (for some products) calcium.

Where does the nutritional information come from?

ecoSwitch is powered by a large, independent packaged food products database. However, because there are always new products coming on the market and some products are only available in certain areas, not all food products available in your country are in the database yet. This is why we encourage ecoSwitch users to help us add to the database using the “help us out” functionality.

What if the product I scan isn’t in the database?

If you scan a packaged food product that isn’t in the database, you’ll be invited to help us out, by taking four photos – one of the barcode, one of the front of pack, one of the nutrition label and one of the ingredients list. ecoSwitch will then automatically send these pictures to us to validate the item and add it to the database.

Please note that with users contributing hundreds of photos to the database every day, it can take some time for the product to appear in the app. We also need to complete a series of quality control checks before listing products on the app.

Why are the products listed in the Better Choices not available in this store?  

Products may be listed in several retailers or sometimes only in one. Use the store filter feature to only view products ranged by the retailer you are shopping in. Also, products may only be available in certain sized stores or in certain regions. The app lists better choices that have been captured on a national basis and so may not be available at a particular store. 

How can I be sure the information is correct? 

The database is updated regularly and undergoes several stages of check. If you find an error, please contact us on the website, or by email at foodswitch@georgeinstitute.org.au.  

Do you have any relationship with food manufacturers? Will they provide any funding to you so that their product can be recommended? 

We have no commercial relationship with any food manufacturers that would affect information presented. Products are rated using science-based methods and alternatives are recommended solely based on their healthiness. 

Is the ‘Better Choice’ recommendation good for all customers? 

The healthier choices we suggest are based on typical adult consumers. People with particular diseases like high blood pressure or high cholesterol may need more specific advice. 

How do I get the ecoSwitch app? 

Download ecoSwitch from either the Apple App Store or Google Play store using your mobile device. 

The app is free of charge. An internet connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi) is required to download it. Standard usage charges may apply if using mobile data – check with your internet and mobile service providers for more information. 

Can I use the app outside my country?

ecoSwitch is currently only available in Australia.

Who do I contact if I have a question that hasn’t been answered here?

You can give feedback or ask a question by email at foodswitch@georgeinstitute.org.au