GoScan, the new app to help consumers access product and dietary data by scanning barcodes on their digital devices, has gone live, with developer GS1 reporting stronger-than-expected uptake of the service.
The track-and-trace specialist said at the official launch of GoScan that on its first day of operation, consumers had conducted 10,000 product searches using the service and that it was amongst the top 3 health app downloads for the day on iTunes.
GS1 Australian chief executive, Maria Palazzolo, said this was achieved with some 70 companies having loaded their product data on the GoScan database.
She said, however, that with consumers wanting access to this information on each and every food product on supermarket shelves, it was hoped even more brand owners would sign onto the service.
“One of biggest challenges we've had is getting the brand owners to provide the data. They're working on it and are committed to it, but it's taking longer than anticipated,” she said.
Most companies, however, were experiencing unexpected delays when it came to uploading their product data, she said.
“They are finding the data is not that easily attainable because it's spread across the business in many different formats.”
She offered GS1's services to such companies to assist with these problems.
“We'll even go into their business and help them do it because we want the information as soon as possible,” she said.
She said brand owners could provide the product data via an excel spread sheet or via GS1net, GS1 Australia’s data synchronisation service.
The product data undergoes data validation checks before it is accepted onto the GS1 GoScan database is and made accessible to consumers.
Palazzolo said that at launch, GoSCan's industry supporters included George Weston Foods, Kellogg's, Kraft Foods, Mars Australia, Nestle, Sanitarium, Simplot, Lion, Fonterra, Goodman Fielder and Heinz.
Some 50 other manufacturers are also ready to load their data on to the application, she said.
AFGC CEO Gary Dawson also urged food companies who hadn't already uploaded their product data to get behind the app.
GS1 GoScan was developed with support from the AFGC, as well as distributors, the major retailers, Australian universities and health organisations like Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia and the Coeliac Society.
Consumers can download the free app from the iTunes store on to their iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch only at present. The app is expected to be available on other smartphone platforms by the third quarter of this year.
Consumers can search on products by either scanning the GS1 Bar Code, by manually typing the bar code number, or by performing a text search based on the product description or product brand.
Consumers can also adjust their settings to be alerted when they scan products containing specific allergens or that meet particular dietary preferences like vegan or organic. Consumers with a visual impairment can also have the product data read out to them.
GS1's GoSCan app has gone live, with consumers using it to conduct some 10,000 searches of product data via barcodes on its first day of operation.
