PalmOil Scan

EDITED (from first review, titled “Inaccurate”): I like the purpose of this app, but it labels may to many companies as “Excellent”. It is largely based on companies commitments, but not actually what they are doing. It is also mostly based on the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). This may sound good, but it is actually not. For starters, the RSPO fails to enforce its own regulations. For example, Procter and Gamble (P&G) is a member of RSPO, yet it is linked to intense destruction of natural wildlife habitat and severe human rights violations. However, the app lists them as “good”! Actually, many companies in the RSPO are like that. The rating algorithm should take into account studies done to measure the company’s deforestation and human rights abuses, not just the purchases of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO). Also, the RSPO is dominated by businesses and they are making the majority of the decisions at this point. RSPO is not driving necessary change. This app needs a place for other certifications, including Fair Trade and Palm Done Right. In addition, membership in POIG should be considered as well.

Great user friendly app! Easy to use and an incredible resource

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Palm Oil Scanner app has been quite useful in helping me decide products to buy. I’ve even stopped buying some items learning that the manufacturer doesn’t care about the environment nor animals nor the rain forest. If we don’t start caring, who will?

I love the idea of this app but it’s not quite finished. It needs a redesign (it looks like it was designed for iOS 6) and the lists feel incomplete.

My boy maverick showed me this

If you browse the app’s links there’s no way to get back to the app’s Home Screen where the scanner is. I don’t see where this app is expressing any affiliation to POIG chartered RSPO palm oil, which is important!

This app has provided me with some peace of mind as i shop, it does offer decent range of products in their database but wish it had even more. It is a shame that there aren’t more apps like this which isn’t a diss on this app. We need to demand more apps like this! Excited to see more from this app!

This app is a hoax! It lists many brands like Hershey, Mars and Nestle that actually use palm oil in their products. Read the reports from Greenpeace or The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) to have a better idea of the actual situation. Shame on the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for not doing their homework.

This app is helping the orangutans! Use this app whenever you can. When you first get on the app it takes to a home page, then you push scan a barcode. It’ll ask to access your camera click “allow”. Before you buy an item, scan the barcode and it’ll tell you if it is RSPO approved. If it is then you can definitely buy it. This app is amazing, definitely use all the time.

Really nice that there is an easy app to help you shop more conscientiously! Love it