Dive Brief:
- Mondelēz International has launched an app that will make in-store, on-the-spot access to detailed product information for more than 1,100 products in the U.S. available from smartphones, according to the Shelby Report. This information is also available at smartlabel.org.
- The portfolio of products includes biscuits, crackers, cookies, chocolate, gum and candy.
- The free app allows consumers to scan a product’s QR code or UPC code and visit a database of product pages that contain detailed information such as ingredients, nutrition facts, allergens and more.
Dive Insight:
The new SmartLabel app sponsored and created by Mondelēz International shows the company’s commitment to transparency and the level of importance today's consumer places product and supply chain traceability. SmartLabel is a transparency initiative from the Grocery Manufacturers Association. Other early adopters of the initiative include Hershey, Campbell and Food For Life.
In 2013, many in the industry believed QR codes were a dying breed, as augmented reality apps could do the same job and were more user-friendly. The QR reader by Mondelēz takes some of this technology into consideration and creates the best of both worlds, creating a web-based tool with digital access to information. With QR codes on food products making a comeback — as products with SmartLabel continue to roll out and GMO labeling information may only be available through the pixelated codes — shoppers may want to download an app to learn more about products. A branded app to do this positions Mondelēz as a company that values transparency.
Retailers will find that more consumers are using these products. This behavior could lead to bigger sales, as studies have shown that the more clarity a product has, the more likely consumers are to buy it.
An Innova report showed that 75% of U.S. consumers say they read the nutritional and ingredient labels of food products and 91% claim food and beverage options with recognizable ingredients are healthier.