VEVEY, Switzerland – Nestlé and a wide range of stakeholders are calling for Nutri-Score to become the mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labeling system across the European Union (EU).
The coalition includes consumer organizations, academics, Members of European Parliament and food industry players. The group has written to Stella Kyriakides, the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, requesting that Nutri-Score becomes mandatory in the EU. Nutri-Score is currently only applied on a voluntary basis.
Nutri-Score is a color-coded system that classifies food and drinks according to their nutritional profile. It gives a score ranging from A (healthier choices) to E (less healthy choices). With the increased importance of cooking and eating at home, this simple format helps people make intuitive food choices.
Marco Settembri, Nestlé CEO for Zone Europe, Middle East and North Africa said: “Nutri-Score helps people make good food choices and motivates food and drink companies to accelerate the development of healthier products. Nutri-Score shouldn’t only help Nestlé to raise the bar. We’re inviting the whole industry to join us.”
Nestlé has started its reformulation journey 20 years ago and has already made significant progress in making its products healthier. Nutri-Score now offers a clear standard that helps move even faster. For example, 16% of Nestlé breakfast cereals in France scored ‘A’ or ‘B’ in 2019. The ambition is that more than 50% of Nestlé breakfast cereals in France are ‘A’ or ‘B’ by end of 2021.
In 2019, Nestlé announced the implementation of Nutri-Score in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany and Switzerland. A few months later, the first Nestlé products with Nutri-Score are reaching the shelves.
The first Nestlé brands featuring Nutri-Score are: NAT, Chocapic Bio and Nesquik Alphabet breakfast cereals, Menier chocolate, Buitoni and Wagner pizzas and plant-based food Garden Gourmet.
Other brands such as Cheerios and Fitness breakfast cereals, Nescafé and Nestlé Dessert will follow before the end of the year.
