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Nutri-Score in tug-of-war between public health and economic interests in the European Union

Nature Food volume 3, page 181 (2022)Cite this article

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To the Editor — Interpretive front-of-pack nutrition labelling has been progressively implemented worldwide. In Europe, a graded summary and colour-coded system, the Nutri-Score, was developed and scientifically validated as one of the best options to improve consumer understanding of the nutritional values of foods and lead to overall healthier purchases1. Evidence on its effectiveness has been demonstrated in multiple settings — experimental and large-scale trials in supermarkets, and quasi-experimental trials in catering — with consistent results2.

Nutri-Score was officially adopted in France in 2017, and in later years by Belgium, Spain, Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland. So far, its implementation remains optional in the context of regulation at the European level3. However, Nutri-Score appears to be a serious contender for the European Commission’s plans to select a harmonized and mandatory front-of-pack label by 2022 under the Farm to Fork Strategy4.

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References

  1. Julia, C. & Hercberg, S. Public Health Panor. 3, 712–725 (2017).

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  2. Kanter, R., Vanderlee, L. & Vandevijvere, S. Public Health Nutr. 21, 1399–1408 (2018).

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  3. EU Regulation Document 32011R1169 (EUR-Lex, accessed 7 June 2018); https://go.nature.com/35d4m2f

  4. Farm to Fork Strategy: For a Fair, Healthy and Environmentally-Friendly Food System (European Commission, 2020); https://go.nature.com/3v5nkTo

  5. Manual to Develop and Implement Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Labelling: Guidance for Countries on the Selection and Testing of Evidence-Informed Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Labelling Systems in the WHO European Region (WHO, 2020); https://go.nature.com/3LOGbYt

  6. Nutri-Score call: press release and update. EASO (March 2021); https://go.nature.com/3M0f651

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team (EREN), Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IINRAE, CNAM, Epidemiology and Statistics Research Centre—University of Paris (CRESS), Bobigny, France

    Chantal Julia, Mathilde Touvier, Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot, Pilar Galan & Serge Hercberg

  2. Public Health Department, Avicenne Hospital, AP-HP, Bobigny, France

    Chantal Julia & Serge Hercberg

Authors
  1. Chantal Julia
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  2. Mathilde Touvier
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  3. Emmanuelle Kesse-Guyot
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  4. Pilar Galan
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  5. Serge Hercberg
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Chantal Julia.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Julia, C., Touvier, M., Kesse-Guyot, E. et al. Nutri-Score in tug-of-war between public health and economic interests in the European Union. Nat Food 3, 181 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00476-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00476-0

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