Getting started
What is Tarlo?
Tarlo lets you scan a grocery product’s barcode and instantly see whether it meets the rules you choose — like avoiding synthetic dyes, or flagging anything high in sodium. It’s your rules, not a universal score.
And it doesn’t stop at the verdict. When something fails, Tarlo shows you better picks in the same store, and the shelf price other shoppers actually paid.
Do I need an account?
No. Tarlo works with no account, no sign-in and no email address. Your rules and scan history are tied to a random, anonymous identifier the app creates the first time you open it — the Privacy policy has the full picture.
Which devices is Tarlo on?
Both. Tarlo is on the App Store for iPhone and on Google Play for Android — grab it from the home page.
Verdicts and rules
How do verdicts work?
You turn on the rules you care about. On each scan, Tarlo checks the product against exactly those rules and shows a clear pass or fail, plus the precise reason — a flagged ingredient, or a nutrient above its threshold. Verdicts are informational only, not medical advice, so always verify the label.
A product says “not enough data” — what now?
Snap the back of the pack. Tarlo reads the label from your photo and gives you a verdict on the spot — you don’t have to leave the aisle without an answer. Your photo also fills the gap permanently, so the next shopper who scans that product gets an instant verdict.
The message appears because public data sources are sometimes missing ingredients or nutrition values, and Tarlo never guesses. If the data isn’t there, we say so rather than invent a verdict — and then we give you a way to fix it.
Why doesn’t Tarlo give a health score?
Because “healthy” isn’t one number, and it isn’t ours to define. Every other scanner hands you their rating. Tarlo judges each product against exactly the rules you switched on — nothing else. Two people can scan the same jar, get opposite answers, and both be right.
How do I change my rules?
Open the app’s rule settings and toggle any rule on or off, as often as you like. New installs start with synthetic dyes and high-fructose corn syrup switched on.
Swaps and prices
The part other scanners skip — Tarlo answers the fail, and tells you what it costs.
What happens when a product fails my rules?
Tarlo doesn’t just say no. Alongside the reason it failed, you get better picks that do meet your rules — alternatives in the same store, confirmed on the shelf by other shoppers rather than guessed from a catalogue.
Know a better option we’ve missed? You can suggest it from the same screen, and the next shopper sees it.
Where do the prices come from?
From real shoppers, not a scraped price feed. People add what they actually paid at their store, so you see the current shelf price before you reach the till, plus an estimated range nearby.
Adding a price is anonymous and takes a couple of seconds — and it’s the only reason the next shopper’s price is accurate. If a price looks stale, you can confirm or correct it in one tap.
Privacy and data
Why does Tarlo ask for my location?
Only to work out which store you’re in, and only while the app is open. That’s what makes swaps and prices specific to the shelf in front of you instead of generic. You can decline it and still scan and get verdicts. There is no background location and no advertising identifier.
Does Tarlo show ads?
No. No ads, no advertising identifier, and we don’t sell your information.
Data deletion
Tarlo works without an account. To delete the data tied to your anonymous app identifier, email support@tarloapp.com from anywhere and we’ll take care of it.