20 Informative Consumer Apps

Connected shoppers of today frequently turn to consumer resources like testimonial apps and peer product review websites for the purpose of making informed purchasing decisions. These conscious consumers want to support brands that mirror their own desires for authenticity and passion about products. As such, consumers are making the most of apps that can tell them everything about a product's origins, ingredients and processing, as well as a brand's stance on certain ethical or even social issues.

Some of the most empowering examples of these consumer resources include apps like Think Dirty and the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep, which highlight toxic chemicals that can be found in cosmetics. Apps like Glia and HowGood work similarly, but with a focus on ethical food.

Rather than zeroing in on a particular issue, OpenLabel and Buycott are examples of apps that give consumers a place to voice their concerns about everything from GMO ingredients and fair trade labor to animal testing. In the process of drawing awareness to these issues, these apps also shape consumer perspectives and influence long-term purchasing habits.