The Nutri-Score – food evaluation made easy?

The Nutri-Score was developed to enable consumers to quickly assess the nutritional value of foods. Simply put, the score calculates how many positive and negative nutrients are in a product. Maybe you’ve noticed it on a package in the supermarket or in the fridge? The nutrition labelling system is reminiscent of a traffic light with letters: The colors dark green (A), light green (B), Yellow (C), Orange (D) and red (E) indicate the rating of products. The colour coding is intended to enable the customer to quickly recognise the quality of the ingredients of the foodstuffs without first having to study the confusing nutrition tables and ingredients.

The Nutri Score is easy to understand: dark green (A) indicates a healthy food, while red (E) represents the less healthy choice. In this way, products of the same category should also be easily distinguished. The score works with an algorithm that analyzes beneficial ingredients such as fiber, protein or nuts and unfavorable ingredients such as fat, salt and sugar to create a score.

You can find more information about the Nutri-Score here: What is the Nutri-Score?

Nestlé leads the way and shows itself to be healthy

In Germany there is no obligation to print the Nutri-Score on food packaging. Nestlé, however, wants to be a pioneer in this field and is not only introducing the score for a large part of its food products, but is also campaigning for the display to be compulsory in the European Union. Since February, for example, the group’s pizzas have carried the score. Other products such as mueslis, spices and coffee are to follow suit. Have you already discovered the food traffic light in the supermarket? Are you considering printing the score on your food packaging as well?

The Nutri-Score makes food healthier

Of course, the scale won’t make food healthier on its own – but it should spur food producers to make the recipes of their goods healthier. When there are two types of cocoa next to each other on the shelf in the supermarket – one marked light green, the other red. Which one would you choose? If you’re not all about the taste explosion of sugar and co, the product with the “greener” Nutri-Score will probably end up in your shopping cart. The score is therefore intended to encourage manufacturers to add healthier ingredients to their products. But these are not the only positive aspects:

• The simple visualization of the Nutri-Score can be understood at a glance. Even if you don’t know what each box stands for, you can surmise that green is healthier than red. The score therefore offers a quick orientation without having to study complicated nutritional tables.

• The score allows consumers to directly compare products from different manufacturers and choose the healthier option.

• Even people who are not familiar with ingredients and nutritional values can easily differentiate between high-quality and low-quality foods. So the score is just as easy for kids to read.

• The score, as mentioned earlier, can lead manufacturers to formulate healthier recipes for their foods. As a result, consumers are eating healthier. Even unconsciously, the Nutri-Score can influence purchasing behavior.

Nestlé is currently a pioneer when it comes to the Nutri-Score. Sooner or later, other companies will probably jump on the bandwagon, as this labelling ultimately represents added value for the consumer and can also be used to promote sales.