FoodPrint
Foodprint is a mobile app concept inspired by the UN’s 18 Sustainable Development Goals. It tackles food waste by raising awareness of how everyday food purchases impact global warming, helping users make more sustainable choices.
Client
University Project
Role
UX/UI Designer and Researcher
Tools
Figma, Miro, Adobe After Effects
Duration
2 months
Miro
What is FoodPrint?
A mobile app that highlights the carbon footprint of food products.
Who is it for?
Eco-conscious shoppers and anyone willing to battle food waste.
Impact?
Users choose more sustainable products, reducing waste and emissions.
People care about sustainability - food packaging doesn’t tell the full story
We all know about CO₂ and global warming - but there’s a gas that’s 30 times more potent: methane. It’s largely released from food, especially waste sent to landfills. Some foods emit more than others - for example, 1kg of beef produces methane equivalent to 30kg of CO₂, roughly the same as driving 100 miles.
Interviews - is food scanning app viable?
To validate the problem and explore user interest in eco-friendly shopping, I interviewed five participants with varying familiarity with food labels. The goal was to understand how people interpret current food labels and whether they would find a scanning app helpful.
Confusion about labels
Most participants found ingredient names unclear and the text too small to read.
Participant 3
''I never really know what half these ingredients even are.''
Participant 1
''The labels feel overwhelming, and I just ignore them.''
Assumptions about cost
Many assumed that healthy or sustainable food is always more expensive.
Participant 4
''I want to shop eco-friendly, but I worry it’ll break my budget.''
Interest in tech help
Almost all participants expressed that a food scanning app would make sustainable shopping easier and more approachable.
Participant 2
''If an app could just tell me quickly what’s good or bad, I’d definitely use it.''
Solution - all-in-one app
A mobile app - designed for use primarily while shopping, as a smartphone is the most practical device in that context. It offers an all-in-one experience, allowing users to scan and view product information, from calories to the amount of water and methane involved in its production. This empowers users to make more sustainable choices - not just for the planet, but for their own health as well.
User Flow - making user journey as fast and convenient as possible
People don’t want hassle when shopping, so making the app as convenient as possible was essential -particularly when it comes to scanning products and accessing information. The core user flow was designed to be simple and efficient: scan, view, save - so users wouldn’t need to rescan items. This streamlined red route was key to ensuring a smooth and effective experience.
Prototyping - creating user interface
A mobile app - designed for use primarily while shopping, as a smartphone is the most practical device in that context. It offers an all-in-one experience, allowing users to scan and view product information, from calories to the amount of water and methane involved in its production. This empowers users to make more sustainable choices - not just for the planet, but for their own health as well.
Iteration - polishing UI and improving user journey
In the final design stage, I focused on polishing the UI and refining elements to improve the overall user flow. Since the app aims to make food scanning as convenient as possible, I introduced quick-action buttons to allow users to save, share, or add items directly to the tracking feature. I also ensured that product information is clearly structured and easy to scan at a glance.
Outcomes - is the app viable?
I conducted a usability testing session involving five key tasks focused on the app’s core features. The goal was to evaluate how quickly and intuitively users could navigate the interface and to identify any areas for improvement. Surprisingly, users didn’t encounter any issues during navigation - possibly due to the app’s simplicity or its familiar layout pattern common to other mobile applications. Either way, this was a positive outcome.
More trustworthy
Several participants noted that the app's user interface appeared more visually appealing than that of the competitors shown during user testing.
Easy to use
All first-time participants were able to complete every task in under 30 seconds.
Would use FoodPrint app
Most participants stated that they would use the FoodPrint app themselves or recommend it to someone they know.
Reflection
This project confirmed a real need for clearer food label information and showed how a focused UI can improve everyday tasks. User testing validated the concept, with all first-time participants completing tasks in under 30 seconds and many preferring the design to existing alternatives. In hindsight, involving a more diverse user group earlier would have strengthened the research. Overall, the project taught me how to translate user insights into practical, accessible design decisions.