Read Mumsnetters’ feedback on the new Change4Life food scanner app

[JustineBMumsnet]

This is the feedback thread for the MNers who have been testing the Change4Life food scanner app.

Here’s what PHE has to say: “Without realising it we’re all eating too much sugar, saturated fat and salt. The new and improved ‘Food Scanner’ app is here to help you and your family make healthier food and drink choices. Simply scan the barcode of your food and drink to reveal what’s inside.”

Testers, please answer the below questions.

1. Do you think the Food Scanner app helped you to make healthier food and drink choices?
2. What did you and your family enjoy about using the Food Scanner app?
3. Do you think that you will continue to use the Food Scanner app?
4. Can you tell us about a time - if any - you changed your purchase choice as a result of the app?
5. We’d love to hear about any features you think could further improve the Food Scanner app?

All testers who give their feedback will be sent a £5 Amazon voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

1. If you usually manage or monitor your family’s intake of sugar, how do you do do this?

By looking at the coloured bit at the bottom of packaging that shows salt/fat/sugar

1. How much would you say that you know about the sugar content in foods generally?

I’m not clear at all- things like flavoured water have loads in, which I didn’t know. Terrifying

1. Do you think the Change4Life app has helped you to understand the sugar content in your foods?

Definitely .

1. What have you learned while testing the app?

That home cooked really does tend to be better. But I’m not clear on whether alternatives to sugar in foods might have their own problems

1. When testing the app, was there anything that shocked you?

Just how much sugar is added to most foods. Our kitchen is being redone so we’re surviving with a microwave- I am a bit worried about the sugar and salt we’ve been eating recently!

1. Do you think the Food Scanner app helped you to make healthier food and drink choices?
Yes, it was useful for checking things quickly and putting them in perspective with our overall diet. It made more of a difference to my DS than to me - the visual aid of sugar cubes/sachets of salt was easier for him to understand than just numbers.

2. What did you and your family enjoy about using the Food Scanner app?
We enjoyed using it to inform our snacking, in particular - it's easy for the fat/salt to mount up without realising. It gave DS the motivation to make healthier choices. Also, more simply, he enjoyed scanning things and making them go beep!

3. Do you think that you will continue to use the Food Scanner app?
We will if the database is expanded. Lots of Aldi products were not recognised, and as we do most of our shopping there, that's a problem for us! We'd like to use it more though.

4. Can you tell us about a time - if any - you changed your purchase choice as a result of the app?
We used it at home for choosing what to eat, rather than at the shop for choosing what to buy - so, no.

5. We’d love to hear about any features you think could further improve the Food Scanner app?
As already mentioned - bigger database so more of our food purchases are included.

I think I answered the wrong questions!

1. Do you think the Food Scanner app helped you to make healthier food and drink choices?

Yes- I used it when shopping and either put things back or made different choices. Really helpful at the moment as we have no kitchen, so trying to choose healthiest ready meals etc

1. What did you and your family enjoy about using the Food Scanner app?

Visuals were good. Fast and easy

1. Do you think that you will continue to use the Food Scanner app?

Definitely

1. Can you tell us about a time - if any - you changed your purchase choice as a result of the app?

I changed my mind totally about buying some ready meals, and was able to find the least salty/sugary options for some beans and hoops- packaging can be very misleading

1. We’d love to hear about any features you think could further improve the Food Scanner app?

Alternatives are good- maybe links to quick recipe ideas

Sorry for the late reply!

1. Do you think the Food Scanner app helped you to make healthier food and drink choices?

It certainly made me think a little more about what we are eating, and has made me a little more concious about checking labels, so yes.

1. What did you and your family enjoy about using the Food Scanner app?

My 3 year old enjoyed using the scanner! It was interesting for me.

1. Do you think that you will continue to use the Food Scanner app?

Yes, sometimes, I won't scan everything but when I'm not sure about a product I would use it.

1. Can you tell us about a time - if any - you changed your purchase choice as a result of the app?

I do online shopping, so I only scanned once I got the product home, but I chose a different pasta sauce the next week once I saw the amount of salt!

1. We’d love to hear about any features you think could further improve the Food Scanner app?

A larger range of products - quite a few products weren't in the database. I'm surprised it didnt give you the option of inputting these details yourself to get some feedback.

Thank you for the opportunity to test!

1. No, I think we're pretty healthy anyway. I found it interesting but I don't think it influenced my choices as they were already informed.
2. The visual element of seeing the sugar cubes etc. stack up.
3. No, I don't have time. I also don't want to be juggling my phone whilst trying to do the weekly shop.
4. I didn't change my purchase choices when using the app.
5. I'm not sure how it could be improved. I do think it could be useful for some people. However, it's a bit faffy scanning things whilst trying to trolley dash round the supermarket with kids!

Does anyone have the voucher yet

nope no voucher yet.

Nope no sign. Not sure what the closing date was?

I don’t. Can’t remember what any emails said about it.

I reported my post to hq who have replied to say they'll try and get clarification on dates etc. Hopefully they'll update the thread soon.

Hi all - apologies for the delay with the vouchers! We'll be sending these out very shortly - hopefully this week. If there's any further delay we'll email to keep you all updated.

1. Made me think more carefully about certain snacks for my children and also the quantity
2. My son enjoyed testing it on lots of different products to see if the app had the details of it. He also liked and was interested in seeing how much sugar was in certain things he ate.
3. I don’t think so as I mostly do online shopping and feel that myself and my family are already aware of healthy eating and sugar etc
4. It didn’t change my purchases as I online shop but it did make me think more carefully about products I’d already bought.
5. Just a larger sets of products, a lot of shop brand products were not recognised by the app.

Sorry for the late reply! I have been dealing with something more important.

1. Do you think the Food Scanner app helped you to make healthier food and drink choices?

Yes, definitely. It was too hard to read the labels and even if I read, I would be buying the products only with about 75% of understanding of whats in there. This app helped and reminded me to check every time when I buy something.

1. What did you and your family enjoy about using the Food Scanner app?

It was mostly the kids who used the scanner and it was amazing to see how interested they were in knowing whats in the food they eat and though they haven't stopped eating crisps, atleast DD1 reduced the number of packets!

1. Do you think that you will continue to use the Food Scanner app?

Yes, I will. And will try to remember every time when I shop, I think kids would remind me as they seem to be more interested. And I think I will use it atleast while buying high calorie food.

1. Can you tell us about a time - if any - you changed your purchase choice as a result of the app?

Yes, The number of Crisp packets and ice creams have reduced looking at the sugar and salt in them! There are definitely some changes in the food habits.

1. We’d love to hear about any features you think could further improve the Food Scanner app?

The Traffic Lights really helped to quickly understand whats in the product in regards to salt, Sugar and Saturated fat and the snack alert help the children decide if it is a smart snack or not!

I wish to see the recommended portion as per the age is anything varies as per the age of the person - example recommended salt/sugar/calories etc

Thank you for choosing us to test the app - One very useful app in the phone now and hubby was more interested to install in his phone as he is more health conscious than me.

any news on the vouchers yet?! I haven't had another email about it...

Or me foxes. Came here to look.

Me either.

Neither have I

I am wondering whether we will ever get them tbh

Any news MNHQ please?

@MirandaWest I was wondering that too. And then I wondered whether Mumsnet would honour it on their behalf. And then I wondered whether that would change how these things are run in future (obviously I need to think a little bit less...)

I just came on to see if others had got their voucher, clearly not....

Nothing here either!

Hi all - really sorry for the delay on this! This is because we've been changing the way that we order vouchers.

Everyone who has given their feedback both on this thread and the survey will receive their voucher via email over the next couple of days.

My voucher has come

Had mine too
Thanks MNHQ