Can an AR app change Australia’s food habits?

By Ben Tosi · · 2 min read
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That’s the hope of RaboDirect who today launched its “Feel Good AR” augmented reality app to help Aussies stop and think about the link between food waste, sustainability and savings.

The app was released as part of RaboDirect’s Food & Farming report, which found that the average Aussie household throws out 14% of the food they buy each week.

Users need to download the “Feel Good AR” app and point their phones at an Australian bank note, to kickstart the experience. From here, buttons and options appear on-screen giving the user a couple of options all the while educating them on the farming process.

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“VR and AR have the capability to bring a product to life and we have recognised that to engage Australians on the topic of food waste, farming and savings we need to take different approaches and educate through the use of tech-savvy tools,” said RaboDirect Group executive, Edwin van Raalte.

According to the report, Baby Boomers not only waste the least amount of food, but also know the most about the farm-to-fork process, which van Raalte said, is no coincidence.

“Our 2017 Food & Farming report found that people who believe food and farming is important to Australia are more likely to waste less of their food. Food is obviously relevant for every one of us, though only half of all Aussies say they know a little about the process. We feel education will be key to helping reduce waste,” he said.

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RaboDirect partnered with award-winning chef, Martin Boetz to show how frequently tossed foods can be used to create healthy, fresh meals and make the most of your weekly grocery shop.

“Positively, it also shows that Australians can make a few small changes to everyday habits, such as using leftovers for lunches through the week and making sure you plan your meals before going shopping, which will help to reduce food waste and also save you a few dollars,” said Head of RaboDirect, Bede Cronin.

And it could be more than just a few dollars if Mozo’s Vice Calculator is anything to go by. For instance, if you replace the $16 dollars per day that the average Aussie spends on food during the workday with meals made from leftovers, then you could see savings in excess of $4,000 per year.

If you want to check out the app, it can be downloaded free of charge from the Apple Store and Google Play Store for both iPhone and Android.

Don’t know where to put those extra savings? It is time to head to Mozo’s high interest savings account tables to help you compare a range of options on the market.