Ecoswitch

EcoSwitch helps you make smarter, planet-friendly choices. 

ecoSwitch will help you find less harmful foods for our planet when grocery shopping.

Did you know that the world’s food system is responsible for around 30% to 40% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe). You can make better choices for our planet with ecoSwitch. Simply scan a barcode to get a food’s Planetary Health Rating, sustainability and health information and better alternatives. ecoSwitch uses science-based algorithms developed by The George Institute for Global Health – an internationally respected medical research institute. ecoSwitch is based on the same platform as our award-winning FoodSwitch app which has over 100,000 Australian packaged food items in its database and is accredited by ORCHA with a review Score of 74% making FoodSwitch a trusted source for health app advice

The EcoSwitch app is available in Australia

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Environmental, social, and governance (ESG)

How ecoSwitch can help meet your ESG reporting obligations 

ecoSwitch helps organisations meet ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals by offering a transparent and standardised way to measure the environmental impacts of food products. This data can help businesses to make informed choices that align with sustainability and climate goals, helping companies report on emissions and guide product improvements in line with ESG commitments. 

ecoSwitch uses data at the item level that includes ingredient composition, weight, and nutrient content and a science-based environmental impact assessment to estimate GHGe impact to the farm gate. Future plans for EcoSwitch include integrating an additional 13 impact factors and including unit processes from farm to fork to estimate a holistic estimate of a food’s impact. This functionality can support organisations in building an ESG-aligned supply chain, reporting obligations, fostering transparency, and responding to consumer demand for sustainable products, which is essential for industries aiming to reduce their carbon footprint and promote environmental stewardship. 

ecoSwitch has gained recognition, including a nomination for the Banksia Sustainability Awards, underscoring its potential for helping organisations and consumers alike reduce their environmental impacts in line with global climate goals.

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Eat Lancet Commission report 

Planetary health 

What is Planetary health?

Planetary Health can be defined as “the health of human civilization and the natural systems on which it depends” and recognizes that human health and the health of our planet are inextricably linked. The global food system is estimated to generate 30%-40% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) and is a key contributor to climate change. The Eat-Lancet commission on Food, Planet, Health cited food as “the single strongest lever to optimize human health and environmental sustainability on Earth.”  

To fulfil our vision of an optimised food system for human health and the health of our planet, we have developed a ‘Planetary Health Rating’ scheme to estimate the GHGe associated with different packaged foods. Our aim is to help consumers make more informed choices about the foods based on their climate impact by providing a product-specific rating and subsequently a ‘Switch’ that suggests alternative products that have a lower climate impact. 

Our approach assigns a GHGe estimate to individual food and beverage products in five steps. Step 1 employs a mathematical technique to estimate the quantity of each of ingredient in a product using its ingredient list and nutrient information. In step 2, Lifecycle Inventory (LCI) data are used to provide estimates of the amount of GHGe associated with different Australian ingredients. In Step 3, these LCI data are applied to the ingredient breakdowns in Step 1 and then adjusted to include modifications for processing and transport to create individual GHGe scores for each item. In Step 4, the range of scores are used to create a Planetary Health Rating system from 0.5 stars to 5.0 stars. Finally, in Step 5, each item gets a star rating based on its GHGe score.

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The rating scheme 

Like Health Star Ratings, the Planetary Health Rating displays stars from 0.5 stars up to 5.0 stars. The more stars means the food is better for planetary health as it is associated with lower GHG emissions. Fewer stars means that the food is worse for planetary health as it is associated with higher GHG emissions. Additionally, the stars have also been colour coded to help with their interpretation. 

Frequently asked questions

ecoSwitch will give you the Planetary Health Rating of packaged foods and identifies alternatives to switch to that are less harmful to our planet and at least as healthy for personal health based on the Health Star Rating. Detailed data on a product can easily be accessed by clicking on the scanned product of any of the suggested better choices. The data shown includes sustainability-related information such as its country-of-origin information; level of processing using the NOVA classification; and sustainability claims, as well as its health and nutrition information. You can access this through the app by scanning the product barcode using your smartphone camera. 

ecoSwitch identifies alternative products that are similar to the scanned item but are better for our planet based on their Planetary Health Rating (PHR) and are at least as a healthy for personal health based on the Health Star Rating (HSR). 

ecoSwitch is powered by a large, independent packaged food products database. However, because there are always new products coming on the market and some products are only available in certain areas, not all food products available in your country are in the database yet. This is why we encourage ecoSwitch users to help us add to the database using the “help us out” functionality. 

If you scan a packaged food product that isn’t in the database, you’ll be invited to help us out, by taking four photos – one of the barcode, one of the front of pack, one of the nutrition label and one of the ingredients list. ecoSwitch will then automatically send these pictures to us to validate the item and add it to the database. 

Please note that with users contributing hundreds of photos to the database every day, it can take some time for the product to appear in the app. We also need to complete a series of quality control checks before listing products on the app. 

Products may be listed in several retailers or sometimes only in one. Use the store filter feature to only view products ranged by the retailer you are shopping in. Also, products may only be available in certain sized stores or in certain regions. The app lists better choices that have been captured on a national basis and so may not be available at a particular store.  

The database is updated regularly and undergoes several stages of check. If you find an error, please contact us on the website, or by email at foodswitch@georgeinstitute.org.au.   

We have no commercial relationship with any food manufacturers that would affect information presented. Products are rated using science-based methods and alternatives are recommended solely based on their data.  

Download ecoSwitch from either the Apple App Store or Google Play store using your mobile device.  

The app is free of charge. An internet connection (mobile data or Wi-Fi) is required to download it. Standard usage charges may apply if using mobile data – check with your internet and mobile service providers for more information.  

ecoSwitch is currently only available in Australia. 

You can give feedback or ask a question by email at foodswitch@georgeinstitute.org.au 

Ready to drive healthier food choices together?

Whether you’re looking to access our data, collaborate on research, or develop impactful tools, we’re here to help. Let’s work together to create a healthier future.