HowGood, a New York-based independent research organization, launched a new mobile app available for both iPhone and Android users that offers consumers a database of product ratings for more than 100,000 sustainable products.

Over the past seven years, HowGood has developed what is said to be the world’s largest database of sustainable food ratings. The in-store rating system identifies industry leaders in the food system based on multiple metrics, then highlights these ratings for consumers at the point of purchase. The app consists of over 60 industry-specific indicators per food item, from ingredient sourcing to labor practices.

“Everyone deserves to know what food is best to eat—you have a right to know how your food was grown, if the animals were treated humanely, if the workers were paid fair wages and if it came from the farm down the street or from across the globe. We wanted to create a simple tool for consumers to get the information they need on food choices right at the point-of-purchase,” says Alexander Gillett, CEO and founder of HowGood. “HowGood has the ability to change the food system from the bottom up. As shoppers shift their buying practices, stores that use HowGood have the opportunity to become leaders in sustainability, offer better products and increase sales. In fact, there has been a 27% increase in sales among some of HowGood’s highest rated products.”

With HowGood’s mobile app, shoppers can more easily take advantage of the research and ratings provided for each food product in a store based on sustainability, social impact and environmental friendliness with the ratings on store shelves next to the price tag. Consumers can then become more knowledgeable about the products they buy and ingest.

Key features of the app include:

Simple scoring system. Look for one, two or three globes (with one being “good” and three being “great”).

Barcode scan. Simply point and scan the barcode for instant ratings.

Search and navigation. Product listings are easy to find with the ability to search for the foods users most frequently purchase.

More products. With new products added daily, HowGood is said to provide the largest, most accurate data set about food sustainability in the world.

The in-store ratings can befound on the shelves of stores in over 20 states. To download the mobile apps, visit: www.howgood.com/mobile. Participating retailers include Food Cellar (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Breaux Mart (Louisiana), Roots Market (Maryland) and Peoples Food Coop (Ann Arbor, Mich.).