Nutri-Score is a voluntary front-of-pack nutrition label that ranks packaged foods from A to E using nutrient values per 100 g or 100 ml. The updated algorithm now applies in Spain to products carrying the logo, while Regulation (EU) 1169/2011 still does not make Nutri-Score mandatory across the EU.
Key takeaway: Nutri-Score provides a simplified assessment of a food’s nutritional composition but does not replace the mandatory nutrition declaration.
Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack nutrition labelling system designed to help consumers compare the nutritional composition of packaged foods quickly. It uses five letters and colours:
A: dark green
B: light green
C: yellow
D: orange
E: dark orange
An A indicates a more favourable nutritional profile under the Nutri-Score calculation, while an E indicates a less favourable profile. The label is most useful when comparing products within the same category or products serving a similar purpose, such as breakfast cereals, yoghurts, sauces or ready meals.
Nutri-Score complements the mandatory back-of-pack nutrition information required by Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. It does not replace the ingredients list, allergen declaration, date mark or the full nutrition table.
Review EU food labelling compliance to identify compliance gaps in ingredients, allergens, nutrition information, date marking, and other mandatory declarations.
Key takeaway: The rating balances nutrients and ingredients to limit against nutritionally favourable components, normally using values per 100 g or 100 ml.
Nutri-Score is calculated using a points-based nutrient-profiling algorithm. The calculation generally assigns unfavourable points for components whose intake should be limited and favourable points for selected nutrients or ingredients.
Depending on the product category, the calculation considers:
Energy
Total sugars
Saturated fat
Salt or sodium
Non-nutritive sweeteners in beverages
The calculation may award favourable points for:
Fibre
Protein
Fruit
Vegetables
Legumes
Certain qualifying ingredients under category-specific rules
The relevant points are combined, and the final numerical result is converted into an A–E classification. The calculation is normally based on the product as sold and expressed per 100 g or 100 ml, rather than relying only on a manufacturer-defined serving size. (Santé Publique France)
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|
Element |
General effect on the score |
Practical implication |
|
Higher sugars |
Usually less favourable |
Sweet products may receive a lower grade |
|
Higher salt |
Less favourable |
Salty snacks and prepared foods may be downgraded |
|
Higher saturated fat |
Less favourable |
Relevant to products such as cheese, fats and processed foods |
|
Higher fibre |
More favourable |
Wholegrain and fibre-rich products may score better |
|
Qualifying fruit, vegetables or legumes |
More favourable |
Recipe composition can affect the final classification |
|
Sweeteners in beverages |
Less favourable under the updated method |
Replacing sugar with sweeteners does not automatically secure a high grade |
A Nutri-Score calculation should not be reconstructed from a package image or marketing claim alone. Businesses need verified recipe, ingredient and nutrition data, together with the correct algorithm for the product category.
For the underlying mandatory values, see the separate guide to the EU nutrition declaration.
Key takeaway: The algorithm was finalised in 2023; 2026 is primarily an implementation deadline for products using Nutri-Score in Spain, not the date of a new EU-wide algorithm.
The expression “2026 Nutri-Score update” can be misleading. The scientific revision was completed through recommendations adopted for foods in 2022 and beverages in 2023. Spain made the updated calculation applicable from 1 January 2024 and allowed a two-year transition for products already on the market. From 1 January 2026, products sold in Spain that carry Nutri-Score must use the updated algorithm. (Aesan)
The updated method revised the point scales and rules for several components, including:
Sugars
Salt
Fibre
Protein
Fruit, vegetables and legumes
The threshold separating certain letter grades
It also introduced or refined category-specific treatment for fats, oils, nuts and seeds. Red meat products are subject to a lower maximum protein contribution, intended to align the classification more closely with participating countries’ dietary guidance.
The revised beverage algorithm:
Brings milk-based, fermented milk-based and plant-based drinks into the beverage category.
differentiates drinks more closely according to sugar content.
Adds unfavourable points where non-nutritive sweeteners are present.
Revises the energy, sugar, protein and fruit-and-vegetable components.
Changes the thresholds between selected grades.
The scientific committee stated that these changes were intended to improve the classification of low-sugar drinks, sweetened milk-based drinks and beverages containing non-nutritive sweeteners.
A product that previously carried an A or B may receive a different grade under the revised calculation even when its recipe has not changed. That does not necessarily mean the product itself became less nutritious overnight. It means the method used to assess its nutritional profile changed.
Food businesses should not reuse an old Nutri-Score graphic without recalculating the product. The revised algorithm may affect packaging artwork, product databases, retailer feeds and marketing materials.
Key takeaway: Seven European countries participate in Nutri-Score governance, but national implementation dates and administrative procedures are not identical.
The participating countries are:
France
Belgium
Germany
Luxembourg
Spain
The Netherlands
Switzerland
Switzerland is not an EU Member State, although it participates in the transnational Nutri-Score governance structure. Santé publique France reports that the updated algorithm took effect in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the Netherlands on 1 January 2024, in Luxembourg on 5 March 2024 and in France on 16 March 2025. Spain applied the updated method from 1 January 2024, with its transition ending on 1 January 2026.
Country variations: Nutri-Score registration, notification, transition arrangements and permitted implementation procedures can differ. Businesses selling into several markets should check each competent national authority rather than assuming that one country’s process applies everywhere.
In Spain, the Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición advises operators using or intending to use Nutri-Score to submit the relevant notification and product information through its stated procedure.
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Key takeaway: Nutri-Score remains voluntary under current EU food-information rules, although businesses choosing to use it must apply the relevant rules accurately.
Nutri-Score is not a mandatory EU-wide food label. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 permits additional forms of expression or presentation for nutrition information when the applicable conditions are met, but it does not require every food business to display Nutri-Score.
The European Commission confirms that front-of-pack nutrition information remains voluntary under the current EU framework. It has considered harmonised mandatory front-of-pack labelling as part of a possible revision of the Food Information to Consumers Regulation, but a proposal or policy intention should not be treated as an existing legal obligation. (Food Safety)
The distinction is important:
|
Question |
Answer |
|
Must every packaged food in the EU carry Nutri-Score? |
No |
|
Can Member States recommend Nutri-Score? |
Yes |
|
Can a manufacturer use it voluntarily in participating markets? |
Yes, subject to the applicable conditions |
|
Does Nutri-Score replace the mandatory nutrition declaration? |
No |
|
Can the displayed grade be approximate? |
No; it should be calculated using the authorised method |
|
Does an A grade authorise a nutrition or health claim? |
No |
Nutri-Score and promotional claims are separate compliance matters. An A or B grade does not automatically permit wording such as “healthy”, “supports immunity” or “good for your heart”. Claims must be checked independently under Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, as explained in the guide to nutrition and health claims on food.
Key takeaway: Nutri-Score can support rapid comparison, but it is not a complete assessment of health, processing, sustainability or suitability for an individual diet.
Nutri-Score offers several practical advantages:
It turns complex nutrition information into a visible A–E indicator.
It supports comparison between similar packaged products.
It may encourage product reformulation.
It uses a standardised per-100 g or per-100 ml basis.
Letters accompany colours, improving usability where colour perception differs.
The European Commission’s review of front-of-pack schemes found that evaluative, colour-coded formats appear promising for helping consumers identify more nutritionally favourable choices. (Food Safety)
Nutri-Score does not measure every characteristic relevant to a purchasing decision. It does not, by itself, indicate:
Whether a product is highly processed
The environmental impact of production
The product’s origin
Whether allergens are present
Whether a food is suitable for a medical diet
The actual quantity a particular consumer will eat
The overall balance of a person’s diet
AESAN describes Nutri-Score as a tool for comparing the nutritional composition of similar products and stresses that it does not cover matters such as processing, environmental impact or origin. (Aesan)
The label should therefore be interpreted as a nutritional comparison aid, not as a universal verdict that an A product is always “healthy” or an E product is forbidden.
Key takeaway: Implementation requires controlled data, documented calculation, artwork approval and market-specific verification.
A reliable implementation process should include the following steps.
Document the markets, brands and product groups covered by the decision. Voluntary use should still be governed through a formal internal policy.
Determine whether the general food, beverage, fats-and-oils or another applicable calculation route applies. Incorrect categorisation can change the result.
Use approved specifications, recipe data, ingredient percentages and nutrition values. Check that all values relate to the same product state and measurement basis.
Do not rely on a historic score, an unofficial online calculator or a competitor’s comparable product. Retain the calculation record and version used.
Check registration or notification requirements in every country where the product will display Nutri-Score. For products sold in Spain, ensure the post-transition 2026 requirements are met.
Verify that the correct grade, authorised graphic and placement appear on every relevant artwork version. Check digital product listings and retailer data as well as printed packaging.
Recipe reformulation, supplier changes, amended nutrition values or an algorithm revision may require recalculation and new artwork approval.
A practical sign-off record should identify the calculation owner, data sources, algorithm version, approval date, target countries and packaging references. This creates evidence that the displayed grade was not selected casually.
Key takeaway: Nutri-Score should sit within a wider, documented food labelling approval system.
Understanding front-of-pack ratings is useful, but compliant packaging also depends on mandatory particulars, ingredient declarations, allergens, date marking, nutrition information, origin statements and claims.
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Key takeaway: This article was checked against current official EU and national authority information available on 21 July 2026.
The article was prepared using the target search intent, Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, official European Commission guidance, national authority information and the published reports of the Nutri-Score Scientific Committee.
Principal sources consulted:
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. (EUR-Lex)
European Commission guidance on nutrition and front-of-pack labelling. (Food Safety)
Santé publique France’s official Nutri-Score information and algorithm reports. (Santé Publique France)
Agencia Española de Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición information for consumers and food businesses. (Aesan)
This article provides general professional guidance, not legal advice. National rules, administrative procedures and enforcement practices may add requirements.
