CodeCheckCodeCheck is a mobile app that provides consumers with information about the ingredients in cosmetic products or the ingredients and nutritional values of food. This is done by scanning the barcode on the packaging with a smartphone or by searching for text. The app is available for iOS and Android devices in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Netherlands. HistoryCodeCheck was founded in 2010 as an association, online database and app by Roman Bleichenbacher, then a student in Zurich. A website of the same name had already been launched in 2002, where users could record the ingredients, nutritional values and manufacturer information of products.[1] The first round of financing took place in July 2014, which was completed with over 1.1 million Swiss francs and the founding of CodeCheck AG.[2][3] Investors included Doodle founders Myke Näf and Paul E. Sevinç. The company then expanded to Austria and Germany. In the same year, Boris Manhart took over as CEO.[4] CodeCheck GmbH was founded in Berlin in 2016.[5] The app has been available in the USA since 2017 and in the UK since November 2019. In 2020, the app was also released in the Netherlands. Following insolvency, the app has been owned by Producto Check GmbH since 2022.[6] FunctionsThe app can be used to scan the barcode of any food or cosmetic product. Information about ingredients, nutrients, manufacturers and seals then appears. For a long time, users were able to enter and edit the information about the products themselves and indicate the advantages and disadvantages of the individual products.[7] Since 2020, there has been an increased focus on machine text recognition. The information is combined with the ratings of the individual substances using an algorithm. These are based on scientific studies and expert evaluations, including those from the Consumer Advice Centre in Hamburg, Greenpeace, the WWF and the German Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND e. V.), and cannot be changed by users or manufacturers.[8] The app also provides information on how much sugar or fat a food contains. It also indicates whether a product contains hormone-active substances, microplastics, palm oil, animal ingredients, lactose or gluten. Since 2020, the app has also displayed the climate score of foods in collaboration with the Eaternity Institute.[9] FinancingCodeCheck is mainly financed through native advertising and banner ads. Since 2018, various analysis services and survey tools have also been offered directly to FMCG manufacturers. Furthermore, access to the API is possible, allowing other companies to access the product data.[10] With the subscription model introduced in 2019, the CodeCheck app can also be used ad-free and offline.[11] Since 2021, CodeCheck has also been offering its own Green Label for manufacturers. Only products that consist of at least 90 per cent harmless ingredients are certified.[12] AwardsIn May 2015, the app reached the top of the app charts for the first time with 2.3 million downloads.[13] In September 2019, the app was once again at the top of the German app charts with over five million downloads.[14] References
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