What Is the Nutri Score Red? Decoding Your Food Labels

December 3, 2025 •

4 min read

The Nutri-Score system uses a five-level color scale, from dark green (A) to dark orange/red (E), to provide a quick visual summary of a product's nutritional quality. A red score, specifically grade E, is assigned to products with the least favorable nutritional profile, helping consumers identify items that should be consumed in moderation.

Quick Summary

The Nutri-Score's red 'E' rating indicates a product's lower nutritional quality, suggesting it contains high levels of unfavorable elements like sugar, salt, saturated fats, and energy density. The score, based on a scientifically validated algorithm, allows for easy comparison between similar products, encouraging consumers to make more informed decisions about what to consume less often.

Key Points

Red 'E' Score: The red Nutri-Score corresponds to the letter 'E', indicating the lowest nutritional quality among similar products.
Unfavorable Nutrients: A red score is primarily due to high levels of calories, saturated fats, sugars, and salt.
Moderation is Key: Red-labeled products should be consumed infrequently and in smaller quantities, not avoided entirely.
Intra-Category Comparison: Use the Nutri-Score to compare items within the same food type, like two different brands of pizza, rather than across categories.
Algorithm Limitations: The calculation, based on 100g, can sometimes disadvantage healthy items like olive oil and doesn't account for portion sizes or additives.
Complementary Tool: The Nutri-Score is a helpful guide but should complement, not replace, a balanced diet rich in unprocessed foods.

Understanding the Nutri-Score System

The Nutri-Score is a voluntary, front-of-pack food label that aims to simplify nutritional information for consumers. It was developed by independent scientists in France and is now used in several European countries, including Belgium, Germany, and Switzerland. The system assigns a letter grade from A to E, accompanied by a color, to indicate a product's overall nutritional quality based on a calculation per 100g or 100ml. A dark green 'A' signifies the highest nutritional quality, while a dark orange or red 'E' represents the lowest.

The calculation for the Nutri-Score balances 'negative' and 'positive' nutritional components. Negative points are awarded for a high content of calories, saturated fatty acids, sugar, and salt. Conversely, positive points are given for a high content of beneficial elements like fruits, vegetables, nuts, proteins, and fiber. The final score, a sum of the negative minus the positive points, determines the letter and color grade. This color-coded approach makes it easier for shoppers to compare the nutritional merits of similar products at a glance.

What is the Nutri Score Red? The Meaning of 'E'

A red Nutri-Score, specifically the letter 'E', is a clear signal that a product has the least favorable nutritional composition within its category. Receiving a red 'E' indicates that the food has accumulated the highest number of negative points during the calculation process. This typically means the product is particularly high in calories, saturated fats, sugars, or salt. These are nutrients that health organizations recommend limiting in one's diet to prevent chronic diseases like obesity and cardiovascular issues.

Foods with a red Nutri-Score should not necessarily be seen as 'forbidden' but rather as items to be consumed infrequently and in small quantities. The label serves as a warning, prompting consumers to consider alternatives or to be mindful of their portion sizes and frequency of consumption. Examples of foods often receiving a red 'E' score include:

Certain high-sugar breakfast cereals.
Fatty snacks and pastries.
Sugary soft drinks and beverages.
Some highly processed ready meals and desserts.
Various sweets and candies.

It is crucial to remember that the Nutri-Score is designed for comparison within a product category, not between categories. For example, comparing a red-rated pizza to a green-rated yogurt is not the intended use. Instead, one should compare different brands of pizza to identify the one with the more favorable score.

Critiques and Considerations of the Nutri-Score

Despite its scientific basis and widespread adoption, the Nutri-Score has faced criticism and controversy. Some of the main points of contention include:

Portion Size: The calculation is based on 100g or 100ml, which can be misleading for products consumed in much smaller portions, like cooking oil or cheese. A serving of olive oil might be small, but its high fat content pushes its score towards orange/red, despite being a source of healthy fats.
Missing Nutrients: The algorithm does not account for all nutrients, notably excluding vitamins and minerals, which can present an incomplete picture of a food's true value.
Overemphasis on Processing: Critics argue the system can inadvertently favor processed foods that have been reformulated to achieve a better score, potentially at the expense of less-processed, natural options.
Category Constraints: The system's focus on comparing within categories means it cannot effectively encourage consumers to choose a fundamentally healthier food group over an less-healthy one.

Using the Nutri-Score Effectively: A Comparison

To illustrate how the Nutri-Score works, consider the following comparison table. This table shows how the score is derived by balancing favorable (proteins, fiber, fruits/vegetables) and unfavorable (energy, sugar, saturated fat, sodium) elements.


Feature	Processed Sugary Cereal (Nutri-Score E)	Whole-Grain Muesli (Nutri-Score A/B)
Energy (per 100g)	High	Moderate
Saturated Fat (per 100g)	Low to Moderate	Low
Sugars (per 100g)	High	Low
Sodium (per 100g)	Moderate	Low
Protein (per 100g)	Low	High
Fiber (per 100g)	Low	High
Fruit/Veg Content	Low/Absent	High (e.g., dried fruit)
Nutritional Quality	Least Favorable (Red)	Most Favorable (Green/Light Green)

When faced with a choice between these two types of cereals, the Nutri-Score clearly indicates which one is the more nutritionally beneficial option for daily consumption. This quick comparison is the primary intended use of the system.

How to Interpret the Red Nutri-Score

Interpreting the red Nutri-Score correctly means integrating it into a broader understanding of healthy eating. The following steps can help consumers make informed decisions:

Use for Intra-Category Comparison: Compare products within the same food group, such as choosing the best option among several brands of breakfast biscuits or frozen meals.
Recognize its Limitations: Be aware that the score doesn't factor in portion size, additives, or vitamins. For products like oils or cheeses, which are consumed in small amounts, relying solely on the Nutri-Score can be misleading.
Balance with Dietary Guidelines: The Nutri-Score is a tool, not a complete dietary plan. It should complement, not replace, general dietary advice to eat a varied and balanced diet that includes plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Consider Fresh, Unpackaged Foods: The healthiest options often don't come with a label. Prioritizing fresh, whole foods that naturally score well on nutritional metrics is always a strong strategy.

Conclusion: A Quick Guide to Making Healthier Choices

In conclusion, the red Nutri-Score, or 'E' rating, identifies food products with the least desirable nutritional composition, typically high in energy, sugar, saturated fat, and salt. While it's a powerful tool for comparing similar items and making quick decisions in the supermarket, it is not without limitations. Consumers should use the Nutri-Score as a guiding light to moderate their intake of red-labeled foods, while also considering overall dietary balance, portion sizes, and the value of fresh, unprocessed foods. Understanding what is the Nutri score red empowers you to navigate complex nutritional information more easily and align your shopping habits with your health goals.

For more detailed guidance on the Nutri-Score calculation, refer to the official documentation provided by Santé Publique France.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutri-Score A (dark green) signifies the highest nutritional quality, indicating a more balanced composition with favorable nutrients. Nutri-Score E (dark red/orange) indicates the lowest nutritional quality, meaning the product is high in calories, saturated fat, sugar, or salt.

Not necessarily. A red score indicates a less favorable nutritional composition compared to similar items and suggests it should be consumed in moderation or less frequently. All foods sold are considered safe to eat, but some are more nutritious than others.

The score is calculated per 100g or 100ml by summing points for negative components (energy, saturated fat, sugar, sodium) and subtracting points for positive components (fiber, protein, fruit, vegetables).

This is due to the calculation method based on 100g, which can disadvantage calorie-dense but healthy products. Olive oil, though a source of healthy fat, is high in calories per 100g, leading to a less favorable score, despite being consumed in smaller portions.

No, the Nutri-Score is a voluntary labeling system recommended in several European countries, including France, Germany, and Switzerland. Its adoption varies, and some regions have different or no front-of-pack labeling systems.

Yes, but they should be consumed in moderation. A healthy diet is about balance and variety, and a red score is a signal to limit consumption rather than eliminate a food entirely.

No, the Nutri-Score algorithm focuses solely on the nutritional values per 100g (energy, sugar, fat, salt, protein, fiber, fruit, vegetables) and does not take into account factors like additives or a food's degree of processing.