Nutri-score: what’s changing in food rankings, can we still trust it?
2. How many products display the Nutri-score?
In France, approximately 900 brands have chosen to apply the Nutri-score logo to their product packaging. Whether it’s yogurts, ready meals, cereals, or drinks, major food companies like Kellogg’s, Danone, Nestlé, or Vico have adopted it for their entire range. Many private label brands use it to highlight the quality of their products, sometimes modifying their recipes to obtain a more favorable rating.
Nutri-Score: its effectiveness is proven, except in cases of conflict of interest
Since its creation in 2014, the Nutri-Score has been criticized by the agri-food lobby, which considers it useless. However, the analysis of several scientific studies demonstrates its validity.
Faced with these converts who emphasize a concern for quality and public health, with « products contributing to a balanced diet, » several giants reject this classification and fight against it. The Italian Ferrero, the Americans Coca-Cola or Mondelēz (Milka, Oreo, Toblerone, etc.), Unilever International and even the French Lactalis (President, Company, Bridel, etc.) which believes that « the Nutri-score does not accurately reflect the quality of our products. »
3. What changes in 2025?
Today, the score is assigned based on the content – per 100 grams or 100 milliliters of product – of nutrients and foods to favor (fiber, protein, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, rapeseed, walnut and olive oil), and of nutrients to limit (energy, saturated fatty acids, sugars, salt).
Nutri-score: do you shop based on product ratings?
In supermarket aisles, consumers don’t always trust the Nutri-score. In fact, they’re wary of it…
« Products rated D or E are very sweet, very salty, or very fatty, » summarizes Caroline Péchery, co-founder of the company ScanUp, which has developed an application for consumers and works on food transparency and product innovation with major food companies. « The new algorithm will integrate more stringent thresholds with a significant impact, since it is estimated that a third of the products on the French market will see their rating downgraded. »
« This is a first step towards taking into account the degree of transformation of products. »
Some brands like Bjorg have already threatened to abandon the Nutri-score. « But will this withdrawal be a long-term trend? What signal is it sending to consumers? ‘Transparency is fine, but when it suits me’? Manufacturers have every interest in keeping it, » believes Caroline Péchery.
4. What impact on which products?
The new classification proposed by the Scientific Committee in 2023 improves the Nutri-score’s ability to discriminate between fats and oils based on saturated and fatty acid values. With the new calculation method, rapeseed, walnut, and olive oils are now classified B, instead of C.
With the change in the carbohydrate threshold, some cereals that previously had an A or B rating will suffer from their sugar content, which is still quite high, and will move to a C rating. Milk will now be considered a beverage, and will therefore lose its A rating, which is only awarded to water in this category.
Hence the opposition of farmers, cheese producers and the charcuterie industry to this new classification which will rate their products less highly.
Food: Nutri-Score defended by agri-food companies and large retailers
Several economic players in the mass distribution and agri-food sectors are defending the benefits of Nutri-Score for consumers, which has been criticized by the Minister of Agriculture, Annie Genevard, who is slowing down its reform.
Overall, the change brings the classification of meat products more in line with European dietary guidelines, clearly distinguishing between red meat products and those made from poultry. And while minimally processed and unseasoned beef dishes can still achieve an A classification, chicken nuggets and other cordon bleus are shifted toward less favorable ratings.
As for cheeses, to the great displeasure of their producers, they will remain in category C, the latter being high in fat, and often in salt, « even if their composition is healthy, » says Caroline Péchery.
