In an era where public health crises related to diet and nutrition are escalating, front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPL) has emerged as a crucial intervention to guide consumers towards healthier food choices. Among the various systems developed across the globe, Nutri-Score -- a color-coded, summary labelling scheme -- has garnered substantial attention and adoption in Europe since its introduction in 2017. This system translates complex nutritional information into a simple and intuitive label, enabling consumers to make informed decisions quickly in supermarket aisles. Despite its scientifically validated effectiveness, recent analysis reveals that political and commercial lobbying impeded the European Union's ambitions to mandate a harmonized FOPL scheme, casting doubt on the trajectory of public health reforms within the EU.
The European Commission's 2020 commitment to propose legislation for a mandatory, EU-wide harmonized front-of-pack nutrition labelling system was a watershed moment in nutrition policy. Recognizing the fragmented landscape of voluntary and diverse FOPL systems across member states, the Commission sought a unified strategy that could amplify public health outcomes across the continent. Nutri-Score, developed originally in France, emerged as the front-runner given its robust evidence base and widespread adoption in numerous EU countries. Its five-colour scale, ranging from green (A) to red (E), distills nutritional quality into a format that transcends literacy and language barriers, making it accessible and practical for diverse populations.
Scientific assessments underscore Nutri-Score's positive impact on food purchasing behaviors and its potential role in steering the food industry towards healthier product reformulations. Comparative studies have demonstrated that Nutri-Score enhances consumer understanding better than traditional nutrient-specific labels, such as Reference Intakes or Guideline Daily Amounts. This relative simplicity has translated into measurable shifts in purchasing patterns, incentivizing manufacturers to reduce salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats content to achieve higher Nutri-Score ratings. Such market-driven improvements could potentially alleviate the burden of diet-related diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular conditions, and type 2 diabetes, across Europe.
Nevertheless, the path to EU-wide regulatory endorsement of Nutri-Score has been fraught with resistance. The research highlights that stakeholders with vested commercial interests -- primarily segments of the food industry concerned about the economic implications of transparent labelling -- mobilized contestable lobbying strategies to contest Nutri-Score's scientific credentials and policy applicability. These tactics included commissioning selective studies, amplifying uncertainties surrounding the algorithm's methodology, and staging public campaigns questioning Nutri-Score's validity. While critical appraisal is vital in policy development, the instrumentalization of evidence to stall progress points to a deeper systemic power imbalance within the Union's policymaking arena.
This dynamic culminated in the European Commission's conspicuous failure to deliver on its initial legislative pledge by 2022, despite mounting evidence advocating for Nutri-Score adoption. The impasse not only reflects competing economic interests but also the fragmented political landscape of the EU, where member states hold divergent positions influenced by national food sectors and consumer preferences. Countries like France, Belgium, and Spain champion Nutri-Score, whereas others, notably Italy and some Eastern European nations, favor alternative labelling schemes or resist harmonization efforts, citing concerns over traditional culinary practices and local industries.
The resulting regulatory vacuum leaves consumers navigating inconsistent and sometimes confusing labelling systems, undermining the potential for harmonized, population-wide dietary improvements. Furthermore, the credibility and transparency of the EU's nutrition policy process have been called into question. Experts emphasize that a transparent, evidence-based policy design is indispensable for balancing scientific rigor with democratic legitimacy. Efforts to redress existing power asymmetries by involving balanced stakeholder participation, including public health advocates, consumer groups, and independent researchers, are crucial to restoring trust and advancing effective public health interventions.
Beyond consumer welfare, the Nutri-Score debate illuminates the complex interplay between science, industry, and politics in the formulation of health policies. The food industry's formidable lobbying capacity exemplifies the challenges inherent in addressing non-communicable diseases through regulatory means that may disrupt entrenched commercial models. The instrumentalization of scientific evidence as a political tool exemplifies a broader concern in health governance, where economic priorities sometimes trump epidemiological imperatives. This phenomenon underscores the need for safeguarding scientific integrity and promoting transparent policymaking insulated from undue influence.
Importantly, the scientific underpinning of Nutri-Score is neither trivial nor purely academic. Its algorithm considers nutrient density alongside positive food components such as fiber and protein, enabling an overall healthfulness score rather than isolating single nutrients. This holistic approach aligns with contemporary nutritional science, recognizing that food quality cannot be reduced to isolated components but must integrate multiple dietary factors affecting health outcomes. Such advances reinforce Nutri-Score's role as an innovative tool, contrasting with older labelling schemes that often generate consumer confusion or fail to motivate behavior change.
Facing the current stalemate, the authors advocate for renewed momentum towards an EU-wide, mandatory FOPL based on rigorous scientific evidence, transparent policy procedures, and equitable stakeholder engagement. The harmonization of labelling would not only simplify consumer choices but also create a level playing field for manufacturers, eliminating competitive disadvantages linked to divergent national regulations. Moreover, a unified system aligned with public health goals could catalyze systemic food reformulations, amplifying benefits beyond individual choices to population health at large.
Crucially, rebuilding trust in the policy process and mediating the influence of commercial interests require innovative mechanisms such as independent scientific advisory panels and stricter conflict-of-interest disclosures. Enhanced transparency in lobbying activities and open dialogues involving civil society could foster democratic debate and greater accountability. Given the urgency of the nutrition-related disease burden, such reforms are timely and warranted. Without them, the risk remains that politicized controversies will continue to thwart evidence-based solutions, prolonging public health vulnerabilities.
The Nutri-Score saga also offers instructive lessons for other regions grappling with similar challenges in nutrition labelling regulation. As countries in Latin America, North America, and Asia explore front-of-pack labelling, the European case exemplifies how scientific innovation can be hampered by conflicting interests and political complexities. International collaboration and knowledge exchange could support the design of context-appropriate, effective labelling frameworks while anticipating and managing stakeholder dynamics.
In sum, ten years since Nutri-Score's inception, the fight for harmonized front-of-pack nutrition labelling in Europe remains emblematic of the broader struggle to integrate scientific evidence into public health policies against countervailing economic and political forces. The imperative to protect consumer health, advance transparency, and reclaim democratic governance in nutrition policy is pressing. The trajectory of this debate will have profound implications not only for European populations but also for global health governance approaches addressing diet-related diseases in the 21st century.
The promise of Nutri-Score highlights the potential for simple, scientifically grounded innovations to transform complex nutrition information into actionable consumer guidance. Yet realizing this potential depends on overcoming entrenched obstacles -- both political and commercial -- that threaten to stifle progress. As stakeholders navigate this contested terrain, the pursuit of equitable, evidence-based, and transparent policy frameworks remains a cornerstone of ensuring healthier diets and reducing the growing burden of nutrition-related chronic diseases worldwide.
Subject of Research: Front-of-pack nutrition labelling systems, particularly Nutri-Score, and their policy implications in the European Union.
Article Title: Ten years of Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition labelling in Europe.