3-CO Deliverable D2.4 Report on smart digital solutions to support sustainable purchasing decisions

This report presents the culmination of efforts undertaken in Task 2.4 (within WP2) of the 3-CO
project, focusing on development of a digital solution prototype that integrate sustainability information
effectively using advanced technologies like AI and gamification. The solution aim to enhance user
experience and motivate sustainable consumer behaviour, addressing gaps in current digital solutions.
The task was geared towards creating a mobile application that empower consumers to make
environmentally conscious choices by providing them with comprehensive, easy-to-access information
about bio-based products.

The task began a comprehensive analysis of existing digital solutions relevant to 3-CO project. we
conducted extensive desktop research and engaged in interviews with solution providers to explore
tools that assist consumers in making informed choices about biobased and eco-friendly products.
Between April and June 2024, we interviewed several initiatives, revealing a landscape of digital solutions
that originated from grassroots frustrations and minimal financial resources, highlighting the challenges
of sustainability beyond initial funding. Also, online questionnaires and co-creation workshops were
conducted to better understand the needs and challenges of consumers and involve them in
development of potential solutions. As a result of these activities, three digital solution mock-ups were
developed.

Afterwards, these mock-ups underwent rigorous consumer evaluation through structured focus
groups and surveys across 10 countries. The feedback received was instrumental in choosing the right
mock-up for further development, with a particular focus on usability, design clarity, and the relevance
of features offered. A total of 28 specific requirements were identified and assessed in terms of their
importance, difficulty level, and implementation priority. This structured assessment allowed the project
team to strategically focus development efforts on features that provide the most significant impact on
enhancing sustainable consumer behaviour.

The preferred app solution, as chosen by the majority of participants, incorporates features that
support not only individual consumer needs, but also align with broader environmental goals. These
include advanced functionalities like up to date sustainability assessments of Label and Certification
Schemes (LCS), offline label search, a marketplace for uploading and reviewing bio-products, and
knowledge sources about bioeconomy.

We faced multiple challenges during the development of the application as well as training the AI
algorithm. We couldn´t find a free database of ecolabels and had to build our own database to be
incorporated to the app to give it offline functionality. We also needed lots of images to train the AI
algorithm to identify the labels. Partners supported us in collecting images for the targeted labels and
our technical team used data augmentation techniques (e.g., rotations, scaling, flipping, cropping, and
changes in brightness or contrast) to optimize the performance of the algorithm despite this limitation.

Despite all the challenges, we were able to execute Task 2.4 successfully. The continued development
and refinement of the solution, guided by consumer feedback and technological advancements, will be
crucial in realizing the vision of a more informed and environmentally responsible society.