What is Nutri-Score and how to use it correctly?

1. Nutri-Score summarizes a nutritional profile, not the whole food

Public Health France describes Nutri-Score as a front-of-package label with five grades, from A to E and dark green to dark orange. Its algorithm combines components to limit with favorable components per 100 g or 100 ml. The result is a summary of defined nutritional data—not a medical diagnosis or a general certificate of quality. Public Health France — official overview of Nutri-Score, Order of March 14, 2025 — current specifications and grades

The word “score” can make it sound like a school grade, but that interpretation is misleading. A C product is not “average” in an overall health sense, and one grade cannot predict what will happen to a person after one serving. It places the calculated profile in a shared category, with specific rules for food groups such as beverages, cheese, and fats.

Ask a limited question instead: “Among products that serve the same role in my meal, which has the more favorable nutritional profile according to this algorithm?” That is far more appropriate than asking, “Am I allowed to eat this food?”

2. Its history began before the label was adopted in 2017

In 2013, a report submitted by Serge Hercberg to France’s Minister of Health proposed a front-of-package nutrition information system among several public-health measures. In 2015, the French High Council for Public Health analyzed several formats and concluded that a five-color scale based on a modified British nutrient-profiling model showed useful discrimination and consistency with dietary guidelines. Hercberg report, 2013 — proposals for nutrition policy, HCSP, 2015 — opinion on simplified nutrition information

A real-world experiment then compared several labels in 60 French supermarkets in 2016. The final report found that the tested systems improved the nutritional quality of shopping baskets, with the clearest signal for the five-color label that became Nutri-Score. This field study informed public policy; it did not establish the label as a treatment for chronic disease. French Ministry of Health — report on the 2016 in-store experiment

The order officially recommending Nutri-Score was signed in October 2017. Several European countries later adopted the system, with transnational governance and a scientific committee responsible in part for reviewing changes to the algorithm. The version used in France was updated by the order of March 14, 2025. French Ministry of Health — adoption of Nutri-Score in 2017, Public Health France — governance and history of the system

3. What do grades A, B, C, D, and E mean?

A is the most favorable grade under the algorithm, followed in order by B, C, D, and E. This hierarchy does not mean that a balanced diet should contain only A and B products. Energy-dense foods or foods used in small amounts, such as oils and fats, can have an appropriate place without receiving an A.

A grade is most meaningful within a relevant comparison. A B-rated bread can help you distinguish between two breads, but comparing it with an A-rated beverage does not answer a real food choice. Likewise, systematically replacing an unlabeled minimally processed food with an A-rated packaged product would misuse the tool.

Belgian and Swiss authorities that use Nutri-Score also recommend comparing products within the same category or eaten in similar circumstances, and they emphasize that a favorable grade is not permission for unlimited consumption. FPS Public Health Belgium — understanding and using Nutri-Score, Swiss Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office — Nutri-Score limitations

• First compare two versions of the same type of product.
• Use the grade to spot a difference, then check what explains it.
• Keep the usual frequency and quantity in the decision.
• Do not turn C, D, or E into a moral prohibition.

4. What information goes into the calculation?

In the current algorithm, the unfavorable component assigns points for energy, saturated fat, sugars, and salt. The favorable component considers fiber, protein, and the proportion of fruits, vegetables, and legumes. Beverages containing certain sweeteners also receive specific points. Combination rules and thresholds differ for some categories. Légifrance — Nutri-Score algorithm and thresholds in force

This structure explains why two products with the same number of calories can receive different grades: one may contain more fiber, less salt, or a greater proportion of legumes. It also explains why you cannot reliably infer the result from one line of the nutrition facts.

The calculation is reproducible when all required data are available, but consumers are not expected to redo a simple sum in the grocery aisle. The dedicated calculation guide explains the points, exceptions, and thresholds separately.

• See how Nutri-Score is calculated under the 2025 algorithm →

5. Why does the calculation use 100 g or 100 ml?

A common basis prevents a brand from choosing an artificially small serving to display a more flattering profile. It also makes products comparable when packages list different serving sizes. This is a methodological strength in the grocery aisle, but a limitation when interpreting an actual meal.

Ten grams of oil, two hundred grams of soup, and five hundred milliliters of a beverage do not represent the same exposure. Nutri-Score nevertheless keeps its standardized basis. Put the grade back into the context of the amount you actually consume, especially for condiments, fats, highly concentrated foods, and beverages.

Conversely, do not use serving size to dismiss repeated consumption. A small theoretical serving eaten several times a day may contribute more to the diet than a larger serving eaten occasionally. Look at actual quantities over several days rather than the manufacturer’s suggested serving or one isolated intake.

6. Is the Nutri-Score compulsory in France?

No. As of July 26, 2026, displaying Nutri-Score remained voluntary in France. European law requires a nutrition declaration on most prepackaged foods, but additional front-of-package formats fall under the voluntary framework in Article 35 of the regulation on food information to consumers. Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011 — food information to consumers, Public Health France — participation requirements for brands

A company that adopts the system must follow the collective trademark rules and calculate the label according to the specifications. However, a missing label does not reveal a product’s grade: the brand may not participate, may be in transition, or may sell a product category outside the system’s scope.

The European Commission has studied harmonized front-of-package nutrition labeling, but its working page does not state that Nutri-Score has been selected as the European Union’s sole mandatory label. Presenting that decision as settled would be inaccurate. European Commission — status of the food-information regulation revision

7. A missing label does not reveal a product’s quality

When a brand does not display Nutri-Score, do not assume that it is hiding a poor grade or that the product cannot be calculated. Read the nutrition facts and ingredient list, then compare the same data with alternatives. You cannot infer a manufacturer’s motivation from one package.

Oqali data released in 2026 show both broad adoption of the label and a slight recent decline in participation, particularly among some national brands. This describes the system’s coverage; it does not establish why any company joins, remains, or leaves, or reveal the quality of products without a label. INRAE and Oqali, 2026 — changes in brand participation

Comparisons also become imperfect when a grocery aisle contains labels based on both the old and new algorithms during a transition. Check the date, brand information, and nutrition values before interpreting a surprising difference as evidence of product reformulation.

• Understand why some grades changed under the new algorithm →

8. What Nutri-Score does not measure directly

The calculation does not broadly account for additives, residues, geographic origin, price, environmental impact, or overall processing level. It also cannot tell whether your meals meet micronutrient needs, whether you tolerate an ingredient, or whether the amount suits your athletic goal.

This limitation does not prove that the label is false; it defines its scope. A thermometer remains useful even though it does not measure blood pressure. Problems arise when a grade is presented as the answer to every health question—or rejected because it does not include all of them.

The NOVA classification asks a different question about the nature, extent, and purpose of processing and formulation. The two systems can therefore appear to disagree without either one having “beaten” the other.

• Use Nutri-Score and the NOVA classification together →
• Review the evidence and limitations of Nutri-Score →

9. A four-step method for making choices at the grocery store

Start with category and use: are you choosing an everyday bread, an occasional dessert, a sauce, or a beverage? Compare grades among products with similar uses. If two products are close, read the nutrients that matter to you and the ingredient list. Finish with the amount and frequency you plan to consume.

For an athlete, a favorable Nutri-Score does not guarantee an appropriate amount of protein, and a less favorable grade does not make a food incompatible with high energy expenditure. Energy, protein, carbohydrate, fiber, sodium, and digestive comfort carry different importance depending on the meal, without overriding overall diet quality.

• 1. Same role: compare products that you could actually substitute.
• 2. Same benchmark: prefer the more favorable grade when the rest of the product meets your needs.
• 3. Explanation: read the nutrition facts and ingredients to understand the difference.
• 4. Exposure: put the product back into the context of your usual serving and frequency.

10. Remember: a useful comparison tool is not a verdict

Nutri-Score makes an important part of the nutritional profile visible in a quick format. Its history combines expert work, in-store experiments, public policy, and scientific reviews. That background deserves more than a slogan either for or against it.

Use it to choose between relevant alternatives, then add the ingredient list, processing level, serving, frequency, and your meals as a whole. A grade can improve a decision; it cannot replace dietary context or individualized advice.

• A to E summarizes a calculation per 100 g or 100 ml.
• The comparison especially makes sense between products of the same use.
• The label remains voluntary in France as of July 26, 2026.
• A missing label does not automatically reveal the grade.
• Additives, processing and actual serving require further reading.
• Nalko tracks available intake data; the app does not produce an official Nutri-Score.