The Nutri-Score, also known as the 5-Colour Nutrition label or 5-CNL, is a five-colour nutrition label and nutritional rating system that attempts to provide simplified information about the overall nutritional value of food products, and compare them relative to other foods in the same category. It assigns products a rating letter from A (best) to E (worst), with associated colors from green to red. High content of fruits and vegetables, fibers, protein and healthy oils (rapeseed, walnut and olive oils, rule added in 2019) per 100 g of food product promote a preferable score, while high content of energy, sugar, saturated fatty acids, and sodium per 100 g promote a detrimental score.
France was the first country to use the system and it has been recommended by other European Union countries as well as the European Commission and the World Health Organization. Due to the system's methodology, its implementation for general use is controversial in some EU countries.
History and origin This system was selected by the French government in March 2017 to be displayed on food products after it was compared against several labels proposed by industry or retailers. The system relies on the computation of a nutrient profiling system derived from the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency nutrient profiling system (FSA score). It was created by Santé Publique France, the French public health agency, based on the work of Serge Hercberg from Sorbonne Paris North University. Other bodies involved in the development of the system included the Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) and the High Council for Public Health (HCSP).
At the end of April 2023, the competent authorities of the countries that have adopted the Nutri-Score announced that its algorithm would be updated and in 2025, the European Union reportedly abandoned plans to make the Nutri-Score mandatory across all member states.
Goal The key assumption behind the system is that the Nutri-Score colour label is always displayed on the front of packaging. Its goal is to allow consumers to compare the overall nutritional value of food products from the same group (category), including food products from different manufacturers. The underlying intention was to help consumers quickly make an informed choice from among similarly packaged products by differentiating those that should be consumed in greater quantities from those that should be consumed in moderation (in smaller quantities or less often).
Calculation Overview of algorithm The calculation process is based on a concept developed by the UK Food Standards Agency, also known as “model WXYfm”, which was evaluated in 2005 by Professor Mike Rayner.
The basic calculation algorithm consists of three steps, and is based on the nutritional contents of the food:
Negative points (N) are calculated based on the content of various nutrients considered problematic, such as sugar. Positive points (P) are calculated based on the content of various nutrients considered beneficial, such as protein. The total score is calculated. In simple cases, the formula is just N-P (see below), however there are some special cases.
Based on the total score, a label ranging from A (best) to E (worst) is assigned.
Nutritional contents negatively (N) affecting the Nutri-Score are: high energy density per 100 g or per 100 ml, high sugar content, high content of saturated fatty acids, high salt content.
Nutritional contents positively (P) affecting the Nutri-Score are: content of fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes fiber content, protein content, content of rapeseed, walnut and olive oil.
In addition to the general algorithm described above, there are special rules for cheese, for “added fats” (fats that are meant as ingredients, such as vegetable oils or butter), and for beverages. While the basic principle remains, some parts of the calculation are changed (see below).
Detailed description
This table describes the rules for assigning negative and positive points for different nutritional contents.
+ Nutri-Score points system Negative points Positive points Category A = Energy density B = Simple sugars C = Saturated fats D = Salt Category E = Fruit and vegetables F = Fibre G = Protein Unit kcal / 100g kcal / 100 ml g / 100g g / 100ml g / 100g % mg / 100g Unit % % g / 100g g / 100g Points (used for beverages) (used for beverages) (used for cooking fats) Points (used for beverages) 0 < 80 < 7.2 < 4.5 ≤ 0 ≤ 1 < 10 < 90 0 < 40 < 40 < 0.7 < 1.6 1 > 80 < 7.2 > 4.5 < 1.5 > 1 < 16 > 90 1 > 40 > 0.7 > 1.6 2 > 160 < 14.3 > 9.0 < 3.0 > 2 < 22 > 180 2 > 60 > 40 > 1.4 > 3.2 3 > 240 < 21.5 > 13.5 < 4.5 > 3 < 28 > 270 3 > 2.1 > 4.8 4 > 320 < 28.5 > 18.0 < 6.0 > 4 < 34 > 360 4 >60 > 2.8 > 6.4 5 > 400 < 35.9 > 22.5 < 7.5 > 5 < 40 > 450 5 > 80 > 3.5 > 8.0 6 > 480 < 43.0 > 27.0 < 9.0 > 6 < 46 > 540 6 7 > 560 < 50.2 > 31.0 < 10.5 > 7 < 52 > 630 7 8 > 640 < 57.4 > 36.0 < 12.0 > 8 < 58 > 720 8 9 > 720 < 64.5 > 40.0 < 13.5 > 9 < 64 > 810 9 10 > 800 > 64.5 > 45.0 > 13.5 > 10 > 64 > 900 10 > 80 Total negative points: A + B + C + D Total positive points: E + F + G
On the basis of its calculation algorithm, the system awards 0 to 10 points for energy value and ingredients that should be limited in the diet, i.e.: saturated fatty acids, sugar and salt; and 0 to 5 points for beneficial ingredients whose consumption should be promoted. These are: fiber, protein, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and rapeseed oil. To determine the value of the label of a given product, i.e. the letter A, B, C, D or E, the sum of points awarded for the beneficial ingredients must be subtracted from the sum of points awarded for the unwelcome ingredients. The product is classified in one of five value classes (A to E) based on the final score, which may vary from -15 to +40. The lower the score, the better the nutritional value of the product.
A Nutri-Score for a particular food item is given in one of five classification letters, varying depending on the food type (general foods, beverages, and fats, oils, nuts, and seeds), with 'A' being a preferable score and 'E' being a detrimental score. For general foods, an A grade is awarded to foods with scores below 0, a B from 1 to 2, a C from 3 to 10, a D from 11 to 18, and an E for any score over 19. For fats, oils, nuts, and seeds, an A is awarded when the score is below -6, a B from -5 to 2, a C from 3 to 10, a D from 11 to 18, and an E for scores above 19. For drinks, only water is awarded an A grade while a B is anything below 2, a C from 3 to 6, a D from 7 to 9, and an E for scores above 10.
In addition to the general calculation rules applied to most types of food, there are special rules for cheese, for “added fats” (fats that are meant as ingredients, such as vegetable oils or butter), and for beverages. For these categories, the score is calculated in a slightly different way. More specifically, in the classic calculation model, the protein content is taken into account or not - depending on the total score calculated for the negative ingredients. For cheese, the protein content is taken into account at all times, irrespective of the total detrimental score. For added fats, instead of the total amount of saturated fats, the ratio of saturated fats to total fat content is taken into account, and instead of total energy content, only the energy content from saturated fats is counted. The algorithm is indifferent to the degree of food processing or such ingredients as vitamins, bioactive substances (antioxidants etc.), fiber type, or food additives.
While Nutri-Score is not used with foods not covered by the mandatory nutrition declaration (listed in Annex V of EP and Council Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011), the system's methodology actually devalues those foods.
2022 changes to the algorithm In 2022, the update report from the Scientific Committee of the Nutri-Score recommends the following changes for the algorithm:
Adoption of the Nutri-Score
It was thought that EU laws did not allow countries to unilaterally impose their own food labeling system, and thus that they could only give recommendations. However, in June 2026 Foodwatch published a legal memorandum stating that EU member states could in fact make the Nutri-Score mandatory.
Currently, the Nutri-Score system is applied on a voluntary basis in European Union countries such as:
France (despite opposition from farmers and the food industry who tried to stall or delay the decision, the system was eventually adopted by the French Ministry of Health in early 2017.), Belgium (formally since 2 April 2019), Spain (in November 2018, the Spanish Health Minister María Luisa Carcedo supported voluntary implementation of the Nutri-Score system, but did not introduce any national legislation governing its use).
The Nutri-Score system was adopted for voluntary use and first implemented in France in 2017. Its implementation is supervised by the French Agency for Public Health (Santé Publique France), a body reporting to the French Ministry of Health. In recent years, other countries have also decided to formally accept the system for voluntary use in their domestic markets: Belgium (2018), Switzerland (2019), Germany (2020), Luxembourg (2020) and the Netherlands (2021).
In Portugal, Slovenia and Austria, some food companies such as Nestlé, Auchan or Danone announced that they would use the Nutri-Score although it was not officially recommended by the authorities. In Ukraine, Nutri-Score has been adopted by Silpo, the country's second-largest supermarket chain, for its store brand produce.
Opposition to Nutri-Score is from a coalition of countries including Italy, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, and Romania. The Italian government has proposed a competing food label system. Southern EU countries say Nutri-Score puts the traditional Mediterranean diet at a disadvantage.
The score is also used by Open Food Facts to allow people to compare the nutritional value of products.
The EU administration works towards the introduction of a common and compulsory front-of-pack nutrition labelling system, and the Nutri-Score system is one of the analyzed solutions.
In their studies, the European Commission and the World Health Organisation point to the need for a transparent, simple and intuitive food labelling system. However, they do not specify which particular food labelling system they recommend. The European Commission believes that front-of-pack nutrition labelling systems can help consumers make informed dietary choices and it seems appropriate to introduce harmonised mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling at the EU level. By the end of 2022, the European Commission intends to launch EU-wide public consultation on an EU harmonised and mandatory front-of-pack nutrition labelling. Also WHO is not in a position to recommend any specific labelling scheme. WHO encourages countries and research institutions to further analyze information and collect data to better understand the impact of different front-of-pack labelling systems on consumer behaviour and dietary choices.
Due to the system's controversial methodology and calculation algorithm and incompatibility with the EU Farm to Fork Strategy, the need for a more comprehensive labelling system has been reported.
In September 2026, Poland has declared an abolition on Nutri-Score.https://edgp.gazetaprawna.pl/firma/artykuly/11322327,ministerstwo-zdrowia-rezygnuje-z-nutriscore-producenci-maja-czas-do.html
Comparison of food rating systems