CogZum is multifunctional shopping list app that helps in avoiding food spoilage by tracking what you have and when it expires

Source: iOS description / Image: Pixabay

Useful information

Download: iOS 9.3 (51.6MB)

Price: free

Language: English / Bulgarian

Runs offline: yes

Last update: iOS 13/07/2017 (v. 1.1.0)

Website of the developer: CogZum

Description

This application enables to manage through a customizable listing the food stored in your pantry or fridge. Thus, you can know its quantity and expiration date, helping you to avoid wastage of food. However, and for the moment, it can only be downloaded from the UK, Ireland and Bulgaria app stores (in this video you can see how to change store).

The register through Facebook/Google does not create any type of account, serving to customize the user profile. Likewise, an option of synchronization with other devices will be included soon. In this way, if there are several members of a family who make purchases, they will have updated listings with the products to be purchased and receive notifications.

Operation

The application is best explained by a practical example, for example, the purchase of apples.

  • In New section, you write the product to buy, in this case, apples. Although the languages of the application are English and Bulgarian, you can enter products manually in the tongue of your choice. A category (in future versions, the user will be able to create its own categories) and a recommended period of consumption are assigned to each product, variables that, however, can be customized, as well as quantity and units. For the date, for example, you can specify a particular day with Set Date.

On this same screen you can mark the product as a favorite, available at home or add it to the purchase list.

  • In the At Home tab, you will see the products that you have and the remaining days for consumption (number on the left). You can edit the time periods by clicking on the food. In To Buy, you will see the products to buy. In both cases, dragging the product input from left to right and vice versa, you access different options (bought, delete, etc.). This purchasing list can also be sent via SMS, email or other messaging apps.
  • Finally, in the Reuse option you can analyze your consumption and the amount of waste you generate. You can also forward products to the shopping list, storing the products of habitual purchase.

More information

CogZum

Images: screenshots and video provided by CogZum on July 2017. ©CogZum

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Analysis

In contrast to the causes that lead to food waste in developing countries, which are usually associated with inadequate postharvest conservation and distribution chain, in developed countries the main source of food wastage is the household. Thus, in countries like the United Kingdom and according to a statistics of 2015, it is estimated that households generated 7.3 million of food waste. Of this amount, 4.4m tonnes were considered avoidable waste. This problem, in addition to be a perfect example of an inefficient consumption of resources, makes an important contribution to the phenomenon of climate change, since the wasted food that end in the landfills releases methane when decomposing.

CogZum is created to try to alleviate this problem, putting in the user’s hand a tool that enables an efficient management of food stored in the pantry or fridge. The strengths of this application are its ease of use and its notifications system that reminds you what foods expire soon. It should also be mentioned the synchronization option in which the staff of CogZum is working and which will prevent duplicate purchases. As aspects to improve, it could be included an option to create new categories, an option already contemplated by CogZum.

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Técnico de medio ambiente, community manager y content curator especializada en temas de medioambiente - Environmental technician, community manager and content curator specialised in environmental issues