A nutritional guideline to promote healthy eating, a key factor in good health

Nutrition is a major determinant of health, particularly regarding overweight, obesity, and diabetes, but also certain cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Nearly 7 million adults are obese—15% of the French population—and one-third of adults are overweight.

The law modernizing our healthcare system established the legal framework to recommend a nutritional labeling system to help consumers make purchasing decisions based on the nutritional composition of products. In this context, starting in March 2015, a consultation process was conducted with representatives from industry, retailers, consumers, health authorities, and scientists to define the implementation guidelines for this labeling. Several logos were proposed, including the Nutri-Score logo.

The Nutri-Score logo

The Nutri-Score logo was designed by Santé publique France, at the request of the Directorate General for Health, based on the work of Serge Hercberg’s* teams and his report “Proposals for a New Direction in French Public Health Nutrition Policy.”

The Nutri-Score logo uses the principles of a color-coded system that classifies products into five categories (from A “good” to E “limit consumption”), based on an adaptation of the FSA (Food Standards Agency) score. Several versions of the Nutri-Score logo were tested in advance with a sample of the French population to identify the most effective design in terms of understanding, perception, and potential impacts on consumers and brand image.

The rules for displaying the logo on food packaging will be set forth in the order issued pursuant to the decree of July 19, 2016, to allow food companies and retailers to use it. Its use will be optional, as required by European regulations.

Nutri-Score: Proven Value and Effectiveness of the Logo

The selection of the Nutri-Score logo resulted from a comparative study of four nutritional labeling systems, evaluated by an independent scientific committee at the request of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of this logo (also known as the "5 C" system) compared to other systems.

A First Comparative Study of Four Simplified Nutrition Labeling Systems

This study was conducted starting in September 2016: 60 supermarkets located in four regions of France participated for 10 weeks in the comparative evaluation of four simplified nutritional labeling systems under real-world purchasing conditions. The results of this study, evaluated by an independent scientific committee, indicate in particular that:

• three of the systems tested (Nutri-score, Nutri-Couleurs, and SENS) are likely to lead to changes in consumer purchasing behavior;

• evaluations based on various criteria (by product category, buyer type, etc.) reveal a fairly clear overall advantage for Nutri-score. This advantage of Nutri-score is even more pronounced when specifically examining the behavior of consumers who purchase the least expensive products.

A Second Laboratory Study

Concurrently, a second study was conducted from November 21 to December 12, 2016, to measure the impact of several nutritional labeling systems using an experimental laboratory method. 809 participants tested five labeling systems. The results confirm the impact of the tested systems on consumer purchasing decisions. They also confirm the effectiveness of the Nutri-Score system, particularly among the third of consumers with the lowest incomes.

Key publications on the effectiveness of the 5C logo

Nugier A et al. Five-color nutritional information system on the front of food packaging: comparison of three logo formats. Bull Epidemiol Wkly 2016;34:598-607.

Julia C et al. Five-color nutritional information system on the front of packaging: application, performance, and perception in the French context. Obesity Vol 10/4 – 2015. Pp.262-276.

Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols: Promoting Healthier Choices. Institute of Medicine, 2011.

* Serge Hercberg, president of the National Nutrition and Health Program (PNNS) and director of the nutritional epidemiology research unit.