Dr. App: What’s Good for You?

The producers of food and cosmetics often claim that their products are beneficial for your health or appearance. But how do you really know? Don’t worry, there’s an app for that! In fact, there are now many apps that rate the safety of such products, and they have exploded in popularity in recent years.

most popular

Yuka is the world’s favourite food and cosmetic scanning app. You can download it for free and install it on your phone. You can then use it to scan practically any relevant product, and it will give you a rating out of 100. Theoretically, the higher the score, the safer the product. 

Made in France

Yuka launched in France in 2017 and was an immediate success. Five years later, thanks to a TikTok video that went viral, it landed in the US, where it proved a huge hit with millennials and Gen Zers. Today, it is among the leading apps in the health and fitness category on Apple Store and Google Play, and it has over fifty-six million users in twelve countries. 

How it works

A rating is determined by an algorithm that searches the internet for relevant medical studies and other legitimate sources. Food products get points for having high levels of essential nutrients, like protein and calcium, but lose points for having high levels of sugar or sodium, or potentially harmful additives.

Copycats

Yuka’s success led to the launch of similar apps, including Think Dirty and Open Food Facts, which also have millions of users. The apps are normally free but offer in-app purchases or products (IAP). They pride themselves on being independent, refusing sponsorship by brands. Because of their popularity, their rating of a product can influence its sales, for better or worse.

Oversimplified

Industry experts warn that the information on these apps can oversimplify a product’s content. For example, apps will only inform of the presence of a chemical, and not the quantity it comes in, when a minor amount can be harmless. The resultant rating can mislead users. The experts’ advice is not to depend on any one app for information: investigate multiple sources and user reviews so that you can make an informed decision.