quality questionable

When trying to make a choice in the supermarket, it’s almost impossible to get reliable and accessible information about food though their labels. The problem begins with the regulations and laws on which information has to be available and which claims can be made.
‘quality questionable’ is a poster explaining four problems with German food labeling. An additional AR extension also reveals possible solutions for these problems in the future.

The poster

We identified four main problems with food labelling in Germany. Therefore our infographic features four food packagings, each representing one problem. The numbering ensures that the individual subtopics are distinguished as separate problems, each of which makes a contribution to the overarching problem. It informs about unclear definitions of terms, seals of quality, the German food code and additives hidden behind E-numbers.

Augmented Reality extension

The AR component of the project serves two main purposes. It provides more information on each problem and also presents possible future scenarios that could help to solve them. The minimalistic illustrations become three dimensional packagings revealing new content on their backs. More information can be accessed by selecting one packaging, revealing additional texts, or by visiting one of the two online databases offering insight on seals of approval and additives, helping with the purchase decision.

Style guide

We decided to distinguish the present and the future by using two different colors. While the present features black packaging with white lettering and pink graphics, the future is the exact inverted image of the present: white packaging with black text and teal graphics.

Project video

In order to explain and document the AR application of our poster, we shot a video, which also introduces the context and our target group. Because our target group are customers who are confronted with food labels while shopping, we positioned our poster exactly there: at a supermarket. Our infographic should inform them and make them think about their purchasing decisions as well as a better way to design food labels.
Even if the poster itself addresses political problems, it is the customers who can build up pressure from below with their purchase decisions and demands and thus stimulate changes towards transparency.