The Yuka application tackles harmful additives in our food head-on. This new feature, launched in November 2024, allows 22 million French users (60 million worldwide) to directly challenge brands that use controversial additives in their products. An initiative which is part of the continuity of the actions of the application, which has already contributed to changing the practices of certain manufacturers.
A new function to put pressure on manufacturers
The new “Call out the brand” functionality now appears on product sheets containing risky additives (indicated by a red dot). Users have two options to act: send a pre-written email containing the risks associated with additives and scientific sources, or publish a message on X (formerly Twitter) with the hashtag #BalanceTonAdditif. Around 1,200 food brands could be affected, from cake makers and sodas to crisps and jams.
Yuka’s impact on industrial practices is already measurable. A study carried out in France reveals that 95% of users stopped purchasing products containing controversial additives thanks to the application. Brands like Intermarché have already reacted, with the withdrawal of 142 additives in 900 products in 2019. The application also won three appeals against the charcuterie lobby concerning the use of nitrites, additives recognized as carcinogenic.
International expansion in sight
Currently available in France and the United States, this new functionality should extend to other countries and social networks in the coming months. Julie Chapon, co-founder of Yuka, underlines the importance of this initiative in the face of the slowness of public authorities:
We are not just consumers, we can also be real agents of change. And we have the right to demand that brands put our health first, ahead of their financial interests.
This novelty could have a particularly significant impact in the United States, where regulations on food additives are more flexible than in Europe. For iPhone and iPad users, the app is available for free on the App Store, providing an additional tool for making more informed food choices.
Download the free app Yuka – Product Scan
