Belgian association mobile app uses GDSN to give consumers information about the food they buy
Belgian consumers who want to know more information about food items beyond what fits on the label can now turn to an app that uses product data provided by brand owners.
Non-profit organisation Aktina offers a free web and smartphone app designed to help Belgian consumers understand the information on food labels.
The app—called BATRA for BArcode TRAnslator—allows shoppers to decipher a food product label in the blink of an eye, simply by scanning the barcode on the product. It’s part of Aktina’s work to promote healthy behaviours and sustainable mindsets.
Thanks to GS1 GDSN, shoppers access data straight from the source
The information provided by BATRA is drawn from product data made available by brand owners themselves, because it draws upon the product data in My Product Manager, the GS1 GDSN-Certified Data Pool of GS1 Belgilux.
The Aktina BATRA app helps consumers better understand the terms, ratings and graphics on food labels, so they can shop thoughtfully and with confidence.
Data enables helpful notifications for consumers
BATRA also allows users to create personalised settings and notifications. For example, consumers can request to be alerted if a product contains a certain allergen. They can also ask to be informed if the AFSCA, Belgium’s Federal Agency for Food Chain Safety, has issued a recall on a product being scanned – or even a product the user has scanned at some point in the past.
GDSN helps create a direct link between consumers and suppliers
BATRA is an excellent example of how the GDSN can be part of B2B2C* strategies, serving the needs of business, brands and manufacturers all while they, in turn, serve the needs of end-consumers.
*Business To Business To Consumer