Nutrition is an important factor in good health. Food labelling is strictly regulated, and back-of-packs contain a lot of information. The primary goal of Nutri-Score is to have an impact on the purchasing behavior of the public with the aim of making healthier choices without too much effort. A simple ranking score from A to E on the front-of-pack (FOP) indicates how healthy the product is that consumers are buying.
Situation of Nutri-score in Europe
7 countries have chosen to implement the Nutri-Score system. Besides France, where the Nutri-Score was initially invented and first rolled out, also Belgium, Spain, German, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg have chosen for this FOP labelling system. Belgium, Germany, Spain and Switzerland have already implemented the system. The Netherlands is on the verge of having a regulatory framework for the system. When it comes to regulations of food labelling there are always different views raising a lot of discussions.
This is particularly the case when talking about FOP labelling. Some believe Nutri-Score should become mandatory, others believe the system fails because carbonated drinks containing artificial sweeteners get a better rating than olive oils for instance. To tackle these points of criticism, these countries have created a cooperation consisting of a steering committee. On the one hand this committee is working towards more products displaying Nutri-Score on packs. On the other hand, a scientific committee is tasked with considering scientific questions and potential adaptations of the Nutri-Score system.
European Green Deal
The European commission has established the European Green Deal, a set of policy initiatives to make its economy more sustainable. Food systems play an important role in the economy and they should become more fair, healthy and environmentally friendly. All food related objectives are brought together in the Farm to Fork strategy. Amongst others, FOP labelling is part of this plan to realize the objectives. Therefore, the European commission has decided to prepare an EU mandate by the end of 2022 with the goal of an EU-wide scheme for mandatory FOP labeling. In the meantime, the mentioned countries continue to work with Nutri-Score as voluntary FOP labelling.
How to easily implement Nutri-Score on your labels?
Did you know that BESTMIX® Recipe Management is fully equipped to calculate the score automatically? This unlocks potential for Food manufacturers to provide this information for their products in no time. Whether you are in cheese, beverage, or other businesses, BESTMIX® offers the correct calculation for the FOP labelling of your products. With a single click, BESTMIX® generates the Nutri-Score based on the nutritional information. Even when the nutritional content changes due to changes in the ingredients, the Nutri-Score will be recalculated. From the earliest stages of recipe design till the final product, the Nutri-Score is always up to date!
