Thank you for contributing to Open Food Facts!

As an open-source, community-driven project, we are beginning to strengthen our UX research efforts to improve usability and accessibility for everyone.

You can read more here.

User Experience research activities are run by the community behind Open Food Facts, in line with the project’s data protection standards.

What Data Do We Collect?

Depending on the research method, we may collect:

Your name and contact details - your email address or slack username (only for scheduling and communication)
Your survey responses (including optional background information)
Research notes and observations from the session
Any feedback you choose to share

During the session, you’ll be asked to share your screen, but we do not record any video, audio, or screen activity. Only real-time observations are taken as notes.

An Open Food Facts account is required to participate.

Why Do We Use Your Data?

Your data is used only to:

Improve the usability and accessibility of Open Food Facts and related projects
Create anonymized research reports

The legal basis for processing your data is your consent.

Voluntary Participation

Participation in this UX research is voluntary and unpaid.

You may skip any question or stop participating at any time without negative consequences. If you withdraw, we will delete your personal data unless it has already been anonymized and included in the analysis.

This research is for individuals aged 18 or older. By participating, you confirm that you are at least 18 years old.

Data Storage & Protection

Contact details and consent information are collected via Google Forms. Research notes and analysis are stored in FigJam and in Google Drive (including Google Sheets and Google Docs). All materials are accessible only to authorized project members. All data is handled in line with GDPR requirements.

Tools We Use

We use the following tools to conduct the research:

Google Forms (surveys)
Google Meet or Jitsi Meet (interviews)
FigJam (notes and collaboration)
Google Drive, including Google Sheets and Google Docs (data storage and analysis)

By participating, you agree that your personal data may be processed through these platforms in accordance with their privacy policies.

AI in Analysis

We may use AI tools (such as ChatGPT) to help analyze or summarize research findings. Any data shared with these tools will be anonymized and reviewed for accuracy.

Data Sharing & Retention

We do not share identifiable personal data. Only anonymized findings may appear in reports.

Personal data is kept for up to 3 months and then deleted or anonymized.

Your Rights

Under GDPR, you have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to the processing of your personal data, and to request a copy of it. We follow GDPR standards globally, even if you live outside the EU.

Questions? Please contact us at privacy@openfoodfacts.org.