The Impact of Nutri-Score on Consumers and the Food Industry

December 21, 2025 •

5 min read

Since its introduction in France in 2017, the Nutri-Score has been adopted by several European countries, serving as a voluntary front-of-pack nutrition label to simplify complex nutritional information for consumers. This grading system is designed to provide an at-a-glance summary of a food product's nutritional quality, influencing both shopping decisions and manufacturer practices.

Quick Summary

This article explores the multi-faceted consequences of the Nutri-Score, examining its effects on consumer behavior, its influence on food manufacturers, and the broader public health implications. It addresses both the system's intended benefits, such as promoting healthier choices, and its limitations, including potential for misinterpretation and controversies over product scoring.

Key Points

Consumer Behavior Shift: The Nutri-Score, a color-coded label, helps consumers make quicker, more informed decisions, encouraging the purchase of healthier products.
Incentivized Reformulation: Food manufacturers are motivated to improve product recipes by reducing unhealthy ingredients (salt, sugar, fat) and increasing healthier components (fiber, protein) to achieve a better Nutri-Score.
Positive Health Correlation: Studies link a diet with more favorable Nutri-Scores to a lower risk of chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease, suggesting a positive public health impact.
Systemic Limitations and Criticism: The system has flaws, including potential misinterpretation by consumers and scoring issues for some nutritious foods (e.g., nuts, olive oil), which can undermine trust.
Role in Broader Health Policy: Nutri-Score is most effective when used as part of a larger public health strategy that includes educational campaigns and other regulatory measures, rather than as a standalone solution.
Ongoing Evolution: The Nutri-Score algorithm is regularly updated by a scientific committee to stay aligned with current nutritional science and improve its accuracy, as seen in the 2022 algorithm update.

Nutri-Score: A Quick Guide

Nutri-Score is a voluntary, color-coded, and letter-based system designed to be placed prominently on the front of food packaging to indicate a product's nutritional quality at a glance. Developed by independent scientists and adopted by several European nations, it uses a scientific algorithm to assign a score from A (dark green) to E (dark orange). The score is based on the content of both positive and negative nutrients per 100g or 100ml.

Positive components: These include proteins, fiber, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and certain oils (rapeseed, walnut, and olive).

Negative components: These are elements that should be limited, such as energy (calories), saturated fats, sugars, and salt.

The algorithm combines these factors to provide a single, overall score that simplifies nutritional comparisons for consumers. A product with a dark green 'A' is considered to have a more favorable nutritional profile, while a dark orange 'E' indicates a less favorable one.

The Impact on Consumers

For consumers, the impact of Nutri-Score is primarily centered on decision-making and health awareness. Several studies have investigated how this label affects purchasing habits and overall dietary quality.

Simplifies Complex Information: The most significant benefit is the simplification of complex nutritional data. Instead of deciphering detailed tables on the back of packaging, shoppers can use the color-coded system for quick comparisons, especially when under time pressure. This visual aid is particularly helpful for individuals with low nutritional knowledge, potentially reducing social health inequalities.
Guides Healthier Purchases: Research has shown that consumers are more likely to purchase products with a favorable Nutri-Score (A or B) and avoid those with a poor rating (D or E). A study in French supermarkets found that the presence of Nutri-Score led to an overall healthier nutritional quality in consumers' shopping baskets.
Promotes Better Health Outcomes: Epidemiological studies suggest a correlation between consuming foods with better Nutri-Scores and a lower risk of nutrition-related chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular issues and certain cancers. This suggests that the nudging effect of the label can contribute to long-term public health improvements.
Potential for Misinterpretation: Not all consumers fully grasp the nuances of the system. Some mistakenly believe that a 'C' or 'D' rating means a food is 'bad' and should be avoided entirely, rather than understanding it means moderation is key. For instance, healthy but energy-dense foods like olive oil and nuts can receive a less favorable score, potentially deterring consumers from these nutritious options.

The Impact on the Food Industry

Nutri-Score's influence extends far beyond the shopping aisle, affecting food manufacturers' strategies, from marketing to product development.

Incentivizing Reformulation

The voluntary nature of the label motivates manufacturers to reformulate their products to achieve a better score, which can be seen as a competitive advantage. Companies often modify recipes to reduce sugar, salt, and saturated fat content while increasing beneficial ingredients like fiber and protein. This can lead to a healthier overall food supply. For example, a chocolate manufacturer might reduce sugar and fat content or add fiber to improve its product's Nutri-Score.

Marketing and Brand Strategy

For food companies, the Nutri-Score is a key marketing tool. Brands can highlight favorable scores on their packaging to build consumer trust and a transparent brand image. However, the system's voluntary implementation and certain scoring inconsistencies have led to backlash from some industry players. The global food company Danone, for example, announced plans to remove Nutri-Score from its products, citing issues with the scoring methodology.

Comparison of Nutri-Score with other Labels

Not all food labeling systems are created equal, and Nutri-Score has key differences compared to alternatives like the British traffic-light system or Singapore's Nutri-Grade.


Feature	Nutri-Score (European)	Traffic-Light System (British)	Nutri-Grade (Singapore)
Rating Method	Single overall score (A-E), color-coded.	Nutrient-specific traffic light colors (Green, Amber, Red).	Sugar and saturated fat content-based grades (A-D).
Focus	Overall nutritional quality per 100g/ml.	Highlights specific nutrient levels (fats, sugars, salt).	Primarily targets beverages and high sugar content.
Comparison Basis	Allows comparison within the same product category.	Compares based on specific nutrients, not overall quality.	Compares beverages based on sugar levels.
Voluntary/Mandatory	Voluntary in most countries where it is adopted.	Often voluntary, used by many retailers.	Mandatory for C and D grades in Singapore.
Potential Misinterpretation	Can give lower scores to some healthy foods (e.g., olive oil).	Can be less effective at judging overall healthiness.	Does not evaluate broader nutritional value.

The Ongoing Debate

Despite its successes, Nutri-Score faces continuous criticism. One common issue is that the score reflects the nutritional quality as sold, not as prepared. For example, frozen fries may get an 'A' score, but deep-frying them would significantly alter their nutritional profile. The system also does not account for additives or the degree of processing, leading to situations where artificially sweetened products with lower calories can receive a higher rating than natural products. In response, a scientific committee for Nutri-Score continually works to refine the algorithm based on the latest scientific evidence to improve its effectiveness and address such concerns. For example, the algorithm was updated in 2022 to give better scores to whole grains and fish while being stricter with sugary products.

The Need for a Broader Approach

While a simplified label like Nutri-Score can positively influence purchasing habits, public health experts stress that it is just one tool in a broader strategy. A mix of policies, including education campaigns, stricter marketing regulations, and fiscal measures like sugar taxes, is necessary to combat diet-related diseases effectively. Combining Nutri-Score with other tools that address broader health and sustainability concerns, such as the ultra-processed nature of some foods, could further enhance its impact.

Conclusion

Overall, the impact of Nutri-Score is a mixed but generally positive one, significantly influencing both consumer behavior and food industry practices in participating European countries. For consumers, it offers an intuitive tool that simplifies food choices and encourages healthier purchases, backed by evidence suggesting a link to improved health outcomes. For the food industry, it serves as a powerful incentive for product reformulation towards better nutritional profiles. However, the system is not without its flaws. Criticisms regarding its inability to account for preparation methods, additives, and the occasional misleading score for certain healthy foods require ongoing refinement. The future success of Nutri-Score lies in its continued adaptation and its integration as part of a comprehensive, multi-faceted public health strategy that combines labeling, education, and broader regulatory measures.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack nutrition label that uses a color-coded scale from A (dark green) to E (dark orange) to represent the overall nutritional quality of a food or beverage. The score is calculated based on the content of both beneficial nutrients (like fiber, protein) and negative nutrients (like sugars, saturated fats) per 100g or 100ml.

Yes, several studies confirm that Nutri-Score positively influences consumer behavior. Research indicates that consumers tend to choose products with higher Nutri-Scores (A or B) and that shopping baskets in stores with Nutri-Score labeling have a better average nutritional quality.

The Nutri-Score system encourages manufacturers to reformulate their products to achieve a better rating, which is a competitive advantage. It has led many companies to reduce sugar, salt, and fat content while boosting fiber and protein to improve their products' scores and brand image.

Primary criticisms include its failure to account for additives, the degree of food processing, and certain vital nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Additionally, some naturally healthy foods high in fat, like olive oil and nuts, may receive less favorable scores, and the label reflects the product as-sold, not as-prepared.

The Nutri-Score is designed for comparison within the same product category, not across different ones. A diet soda has a better score than a regular soda due to its low sugar and calorie content. Olive oil, though a healthy fat, is calorie-dense and is penalized on its own merit compared to other oils, resulting in a 'C' score. Comparing a beverage to a fat is an improper use of the system.

No, the use of Nutri-Score is currently voluntary in countries like France, Germany, Belgium, and Spain. Manufacturers can choose to register with the relevant health authority and display the label on their products, which commits them to labeling all their products within a registered brand.

By simplifying nutritional information and encouraging the purchase of healthier foods, Nutri-Score helps consumers make better dietary decisions. This can contribute to a reduction in the prevalence of diet-related chronic illnesses, reinforcing public health goals.