Nutriscore is a "simplified nutrition labelling system that has proven its effectiveness" on food products and is beginning to be adopted by manufacturers. Today, several European consumer associations are launching a petition to ask the European Commission to make it mandatory.
Implemented in France, Belgium and Spain since autumn 2017 on an optional basis, due to current European regulations, this labelling system is based on five letters (A, B, C, D, E) and a colour code, from green to red, depending on the nutritional quality of the food. Several national and international studies have pointed out that Nutriscore is "the most effective simplified nutrition labelling" to help consumers in their daily food purchases; but, because of its optional nature, it is difficult to develop on the shelves.
Today, seven European consumer associations, including UFC-Que Choisir (France), Test-Achat (Belgium), VZBV (Germany), Consumentenbond (Netherlands), OCU (Spain), Federajca Konsumentow (Poland) and EKPIZO (Greece), launched a petition asking the European Commission to make the Nutriscore mandatory.
"The poor nutritional quality of too many industrial foods is one of the main causes of high rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes", and "the complexity of the tables[...] on the packaging means that 82% of consumers do not understand them", the associations explain.
"One million signatures are needed for the Commission to respond: so, to know what we eat, protect our health and encourage industries to improve the composition of their products, together, let us demand that the Commission make Nutriscore mandatory," they say.
Source: ouest-france.fr