Ten years of Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition labelling in Europe (2025)

  • Cecchini, M. & Warin, L. Impact of food labelling systems on food choices and eating behaviours: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized studies. Obes. Rev. 17, 201–210 (2016).

    Article MATH CAS Google Scholar

  • Song, J. Impact of color-coded and warning nutrition labelling schemes: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. PLoS Med. 18, 1003765 (2021).

    Article Google Scholar

  • Kelly, B. The potential effectiveness of front-of-pack nutrition labeling for improving population diets. Annu. Rev. Nutr. 44, 405–440 (2024).

    Article MATH CAS Google Scholar

  • Tackling NCDs: Best Buys and Other Recommended Interventions for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (World Health Organization, 2017).

  • Kanter, R., Vanderlee, L. & Vandevijvere, S. Front-of-package nutrition labelling policy: global progress and future directions. Public Health Nutr. 21, 1399–1408 (2018).

    Article PubMed Central Google Scholar

  • Hercberg, S., Touvier, M. & Salas-Salvado, J. Group of European scientists supporting the implementation of Nutri-Score in Europe: the Nutri-Score nutrition label. Int. J. Vitam. Nutr. Res. 92, 147–157 (2022).

    Article CAS Google Scholar

  • Townsend, M. S. Where is the science? What will it take to show that nutrient profiling systems work? Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 91, 1109S–1115S (2010).

    Article MATH CAS Google Scholar

  • Grunert, K. G. & Wills, J. M. A review of European research on consumer response to nutrition information on food labels. J. Public Health 15, 385–399 (2007).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • Hafner, E. & Pravst, I. A systematic assessment of the revised Nutri-Score algorithm: potentials for the implementation of front-of-package nutrition labeling across Europe. Food Front. 5, 947–963 (2024).

    Article Google Scholar

  • Merz, B. et al. Nutri-Score 2023 update. Nat. Food 5, 102–110 (2024).

    Article Google Scholar

  • Gokani, N. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling: a tussle between EU food law and national measures. Eur. Law Rev. 33, 751–752 (2022).

    Google Scholar

  • Watson, R. European Commission opts against traffic light system for food labelling. Br. Med. J. 336, 296 (2008).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • A Farm to Fork Strategy: For a Fair, Healthy and Environmentally-Friendly Food System. Communication on the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Council and the Committee of the Regions (European Commission, 2020); http://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/ea0f9f73-9ab2-11ea-9d2d-01aa75ed71a1/language-en

  • Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council: Regarding the Use of Additional Forms of Expression and Presentation of the Nutrition Declaration (European Commission, 2020); https://food.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2020-05/labelling-nutrition_fop-report-2020-207_en.pdf

  • Nohlen, H. Bakogioanni, I. Grammatikaki, E., Ciriolo, E. Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling Schemes: An Update of the Evidence Report No. EUR 31153EN (Publications Office of the European Union, 2022).

  • Storcksdieck genannt Bonsmann, S., Marandola, G., Ciriolo, E., van Bavel, R. & Wollgast, J. JRC Overview of Front-of-Pack (FOP) Schemes Providing Nutrition Information Report No. EUR29811EN (Publications Office of the European Union, 2020).

  • International Agency for Research on Cancer, Nutri-Score: Harmonized and Mandatory Front-of-Pack Nutrition Label Urgently Needed at the European Union Level and Beyond (World Health Organization, 2021).

  • Statement on Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling in the European Union (European Public Health Association, 2023); https://eupha.org/repository/advocacy/2023/EUPHA%20Statement%20on%20FoPNL%20FINAL.pdf

  • Mazzù, M. F. A cross-country experimental study on consumers’ subjective understanding and liking on front-of-pack nutrition labels. Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr. 72, 833–847 (2021).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • Mazzù, M. F., Romani, S. & Gambicorti, A. Effects on consumers’ subjective understanding of a new front-of-pack nutritional label: a study on Italian consumers. Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr. 72, 357–366 (2021).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • Mazzù, M. F. Introducing the front-of-pack acceptance model: the role of usefulness and ease of use in European consumers’ acceptance of front-of-pack labels. Int. J. Food Sci. Nutr. 73, 378–395 (2022).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • Egnell, M., Talati, Z., Hercberg, S., Pettigrew, S. & Julia, C. Objective understanding of front-of-package nutrition labels: an international comparative experimental study across 12 countries. Nutrients 10, 1542 (2018).

    Article PubMed Central Google Scholar

  • Talati, Z., Egnell, M., Hercberg, S., Julia, C. & Pettigrew, S. Consumers’ perceptions of five front-of-package nutrition labels: an experimental study across 12 countries. Nutrients 11, 1934 (2019).

    Article PubMed Central Google Scholar

  • Akker, K. The impact of the Nutri-Score on food choice: a choice experiment in a Dutch supermarket. Appetite 168, 105664 (2022).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • Godden, E., Cutello, C. A. & Dens, N. The impact of nutritional labeling on adult snack choices: a controlled field experiment in a non-commercial professional setting. Appetite 193, 107167 (2024).

    Article Google Scholar

  • Egnell, M. Front-of-pack labeling and the nutritional quality of students’ food purchases: a 3-arm randomized controlled trial. Am. J. Public Health 109, 1122–1129 (2019).

    Article PubMed Central MATH Google Scholar

  • Egnell, M. The impact of the Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition label on purchasing intentions of unprocessed and processed foods: post-hoc analyses from three randomized controlled trials. Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act. 18, 38 (2021).

    Article PubMed Central MATH Google Scholar

  • Egnell, M. Randomised controlled trial in an experimental online supermarket testing the effects of front-of-pack nutrition labelling on food purchasing intentions in a low-income population. BMJ Open 11, 041196 (2021).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • Crosetto, P. Nutritional and economic impact of five alternative front-of-pack nutritional labels: experimental evidence. Eur. Rev. Agric. Econ. 47, 785–818 (2019).

    MATH Google Scholar

  • Dubois, P. Effects of front-of-pack labels on the nutritional quality of supermarket food purchases: evidence from a large-scale randomized controlled trial. J. Acad. Mark. Sci. 49, 119–138 (2021).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • Devaux, M. Establishing an EU-wide front-of-pack nutrition label: review of options and model-based evaluation. Obes. Rev. 25, 13719 (2024).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • Baron, J. A brief history of evidence-based policy. Ann. Am. Acad. Polit. Soc. Sci. 678, 40–50 (2018).

    Article ADS MATH Google Scholar

  • Petticrew, M. & Roberts, H. Evidence, hierarchies, and typologies: horses for courses. J. Epidemiol. Community Health 57, 527–529 (2003).

    Article PubMed Central MATH CAS Google Scholar

  • Parkhurst, J. O. Appeals to evidence for the resolution of wicked problems: the origins and mechanisms of evidentiary bias. Policy Sci. 49, 373–393 (2016).

    Article MATH Google Scholar

  • Besancon, S., Beran, D. & Batal, M. A study is 21 times more likely to find unfavourable results about the nutrition label Nutri-Score if the authors declare a conflict of interest or the study is funded by the food industry. BMJ Glob. Health 8, e011720 (2023).

    Article PubMed Central Google Scholar

  • Mialon, M., Swinburn, B., Wate, J., Tukana, I. & Sacks, G. Analysis of the corporate political activity of major food industry actors in Fiji. Glob. Health 12, 18 (2016).

    Article Google Scholar

  • Martini, D. et al. Relationship between front-of-pack labeling and nutritional characteristics of food products: an attempt of an analytical approach. Front. Nutr. 9, 963592 (2022).

    Article PubMed Central MATH Google Scholar

  • Peters, S. & Verhagen, H. Publication bias and Nutri-Score: a complete literature review of the substantiation of the effectiveness of the front-of-pack logo Nutri-Score. PharmaNutrition 27, 100380 (2024).

    Article Google Scholar

  • Garde, A., Gokani, N., Besançon, S. & Mialon, M. Unpacking front-of-pack nutrition labelling research: when the food industry produces ‘science’ as part of its lobbying strategies. World Nutr. 15, 63–65 (2024).

    Article Google Scholar

  • Mazzù, M. F., Baccelloni, A. & Finistauri, P. Uncovering the effect of European policy-making initiatives in addressing nutrition-related issues: a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis on front-of-pack labels. Nutrients 14, 3423 (2022).

    Article PubMed Central Google Scholar

  • Ewert, B. Checkmating the Nutri-Score: will food patriotism prevent the harmonization of front-of-pack labeling schemes within the EU? J. Health Polit. Policy Law https://doi.org/10.1215/03616878-11259443 (2024).

  • McCambridge, J., Hawkins, B. & Holden, C. Industry use of evidence to influence alcohol policy: a case study of submissions to the 2008 Scottish Government Consultation. PLoS Med. 10, e1001431 (2013).

    Article PubMed Central Google Scholar

  • Calvert, E. Food label ambush: industry lobbying halted EU plans. Social Europe https://www.socialeurope.eu/food-label-ambush-industry-lobbying-halted-eu-plans (2023).

  • Answers to the European Parliament Questionnaire to the Commissioner-Designate Janusz Wojciechowski Commissioner-Designate for Agriculture Vol. 2024 (European Commission, 2022).

  • Garde, A., Gokani, N., Perez-Llantada, J. & Souter, J. Lobbying, transparency and trust: power imbalances and the failure to implement Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. Lancet Reg. Health Eur. 51, 101238 (2025).

  • Decision Concerning the European Commission’s Compliance with the Tobacco Control Convention (852/2014/LP) (European Ombudsman, 2014); https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/decision/en/73774

  • Decision on the European Commission’s Refusal to Give Public Access to Documents Concerning an Impact Assessment and the Related Opinion by the Regulatory Scrutiny Board on the Revision of the Food Information to Consumers Regulation (Cases 2347/2023/MIK and 177/2024/MIG) (European Ombudsman, 2024); https://www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/decision/en/193459

  • Decision of 7 February 2024 Case 532/2023/FA: Decision on How the Secretariat of the EU Transparency Register Handled Complaints Concerning the Information Provided by Two Entities on the Register Vol. 2024 (European Ombudsman, 2024).

  • Gokani, N. & Garde, A. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling: time for the EU to adopt a harmonized scheme. Eur. J. Public Health 33, 751–752 (2023).

    Article PubMed Central MATH Google Scholar

  • Ten years of Nutri-Score front-of-pack nutrition labelling in Europe (2025)

    References

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Recommended Articles
    Article information

    Author: Aracelis Kilback

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6443

    Rating: 4.3 / 5 (64 voted)

    Reviews: 95% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Aracelis Kilback

    Birthday: 1994-11-22

    Address: Apt. 895 30151 Green Plain, Lake Mariela, RI 98141

    Phone: +5992291857476

    Job: Legal Officer

    Hobby: LARPing, role-playing games, Slacklining, Reading, Inline skating, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Dance

    Introduction: My name is Aracelis Kilback, I am a nice, gentle, agreeable, joyous, attractive, combative, gifted person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.