Let $G$ and $H$ be locally compact groups. We will show that each contractive Jordan isomorphism $\Phi\colon L^1(G)\to L^1(H)$ is either an isometric isomorphism or an isometric anti-isomorphism. We will apply this result to study isometric two-sided zero product preservers on group algebras and, further, to study local and approximately local isometric automorphisms of group algebras.
