New website and app for lebensmittelwarnung.de

Modern digital consumer protection

As an official and widely read source for alerts regarding all types of food, cosmetics, consumer goods, and tattoo supplies, the website lebensmittelwarnung.de serves as an important information channel for the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) and the 16 federal states. The portal provides consumers with simple and transparent information on product recalls and other warnings across five categories.

To revitalize the aging portal with a modern user experience and equip it with efficient, future-proof CMS technology, we implemented a full-service relaunch for the BVL and the other project partners – including a CMS upgrade to Government Site Builder 7.5.

From the very beginning, our work on the implementation project was guided by a single goal: high transparency and usability for consumers, ensuring that important information is presented on screen in a straightforward and visually appealing way. Thanks to new search and filter functions, warning messages can now be found even faster. The new topics section provides information on figures, data, and facts, offers access to other government portals within the EU, and is being further expanded. A glossary explains technical terms to consumers, helping them better understand the details of product warnings.

New app with push notifications

Consumers are always online on their smartphones and can be notified of product recalls even more quickly. Consequently, we expanded access via the website to include the new app as an information channel. Specialists in user experience and interface design first developed the overarching design approach for the iOS and Android apps. The look and feel were then adopted as the visual guiding principle for the relaunch of the online platform. The design focus: clean, clear, intuitive, and with a modern look.

Thanks to the filtering options, users see only the alerts in the app that are relevant to their daily lives. Another useful feature is push notifications, which display alerts on the smartphone screen immediately after they are published. To achieve this, our developers implemented an interface between the app and the CMS database, as well as a GSB module for push functionality.

The app is proving popular with consumers, as a look at the statistics from late July 2024 – after just under six weeks of operation – shows:

A Pragmatic Approach to a Successful Project

A concept developed in collaboration with many stakeholders requires strong execution. To drive foodwarnings.de forward with determination, we managed the project with foresight and pragmatism. We handled both planning and implementation in-house, allowing the BVL to focus on the technical aspects of the project. In addition to traditional project management, our digital project collaboration platform played a major role. Using this tool, all participants could coordinate their work, track the current project status in real time, and contribute collaboratively.

Thanks to our focused approach, we were also able to confidently tackle new challenges. For example, the last-minute switch from GSB 10 to GSB 7.5, carried out in close cooperation and coordination with ITZBund.