Health-conscious Americans embrace Yuka app to guide grocery shopping choices

As health-conscious Americans look for ways to eat better, there is a mobile app that shoppers can use to guide them at the grocery store, sometimes with surprising outcomes.

Yuka is a free app that proponents of the Make America Healthy Again movement are embracing – even U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

"I use Yuka," Kennedy told Fox News Digital in April.

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Developed in France, Yuka expanded to the U.S. in 2022.

It has been gaining ground, with about 25,000 new users each day, co-founder Julie Chapon told Fox News Digital. (See the video at the top of this article.) 

"I think consumers are really being more conscious now about what they want to eat – and there is really this need to have access to more transparent information," said Chapon from New York City. 

'Results can be surprising'

Sam Stark, a public relations consultant in New York City, said she uses the app "about every other shopping trip, mostly when I'm considering adding something new to our meals."

"My husband and I eat as [healthfully] as possible with minimal processed foods, but we also want variety," she told Fox News Digital. 

The Yuka app was developed in France. (Alain Jocard/AFP via Getty Images)

"It's become a regular part of my shopping routine when I'm browsing unfamiliar products."

Many times, Stark said, she'll avoid a food product that has scored poorly. 

"I often use it to compare similar products, such as which granola is actually the healthiest option," she said. 

Some users of the Yuka app have said they use it routinely while shopping. (Yuka)

"The results can be surprising."

"I've limited and given up foods I really enjoyed as well, like this blue cheese dressing I loved, after seeing the rating. Sometimes the app tells you what you need to hear to make better choices."

"Sometimes the app tells you what you need to hear to make better choices."

Stark also introduced her friend to Yuka.

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Cristina Cote, a New York-based real estate broker, told Fox News Digital that she uses the app every time she shops, "especially when exploring new products."

"I appreciate Yuka as a tool to be mindful and make healthy choices," Cote said.

Sam Stark (left) introduced her friend, Cristina Cote (right), to the Yuka app. (Sam Stark; Cristina Cote)

She's also cut out products that score poorly on the app.

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"If I find out that a product I like is not well-rated, I will stop buying it and replace it with something healthier and [purer]," she said. 

"It can be disheartening when you find out something you enjoy contains harmful ingredients."

Users scan bar codes

Yuka lets users scan the bar codes of food products, generating a score from one to 100 based on three criteria: nutritional quality (60% of the rating), the presence of additives (30%) and whether the product is organic (10%), Chapon said.

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The scores are then color-coded into four different categories: excellent (dark green), good (light green), poor (orange) and bad (red).

"You also have access to a detailed information sheet on each product to understand why the rating is good or bad," Chapon said. 

The Yuka app is color-coded, with bright green signifying the best products and red representing the worst. (Yuka)

If an item receives a poor or bad rating, Yuka recommends similar products with a better ranking. 

"The app is 100% independent," Chapon said. "We receive absolutely no money from brands or manufacturers to influence our evaluations or recommendations."

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Although Yuka isn't affiliated with MAHA, Chapon credits the increasingly popular movement for the app's ascent – and for challenging the food industry.

"I think the MAHA movement has also fueled this interest," Chapon said.

'Help people make better choices'

Yuka also has a feature that allows users to call out a food maker with a high-risk additive.

Since the feature launched in November, more than 600,000 callouts have been made, Chapon said.

Julie Chapon, shown above, says the Yuka app she co-founded is steadily growing since it was introduced to the U.S. in 2022. (Yuka)

"A lot of brands have received a lot of emails – and they are very mad," Chapon said. "But that's part of our mission and we know it's risky."

Among the brands that have had dialogue with Yuka are Tru drinks and Chobani, Chapon said.

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Both companies "were really interested in improving their ratings and understanding why they don't have good ratings."

Fox News Digital made multiple requests for comment to Tru drinks and Chobani about the app's rating system.

Yuka's co-founder (not pictured) hopes the app will "help people make better choices for their health" when shopping for groceries. (iStock)

Ultimately, Chapon said she hopes the app will "help people make better choices for their health" and "push manufacturers to improve what they put in their products."

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"We have many brands starting to really pay attention and trying to understand how they can do better. Sometimes they just don't realize they are using very controversial ingredients."

"We are here to help them to improve," she added. 

Ashley DiMella of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.