Nestlé to give Nutri score labels on local Swiss products

Nestlé plans to remove Nutri score labels from products that the company only sells in Switzerland.

Nutri score in other European countries will continue to use the world's largest food company that claims to have the introduction of the Nutrition Front-of-Pack labels “Pioneering”.

The decision by Nestlé includes chocolate brands Cailler and Chokito, Thomy Mayonnaise, Leisi Pastry, Incarom Coffee and Drink Brands Nestea, Henniez and Romanette.

A Nestlé spokesman told Just eat The labels from this summer will be “gradually” removed.

The company confirmed that the color-coded Nutri-Score rating system was used for all branded products in non-EU country, including breakfast muesli among its cereal partners worldwide joint venture with US Major General General Mills.

The international brands sold in Switzerland will continue to show the Nutri score labels.

Nestlé explained that the use of Nutri score has only been introduced in France two years earlier since the coverage system was taken over in 2019.

“Support for this diet marking has significantly reduced in the country, and today Nestlé's local Swiss brands are often the only ones who wear Nutri score in the product categories in which they are located,” said a speaker.

“The low introduction of Nutri score in Switzerland, combined with reduced political support, creates a situation in which Nutri score can no longer effectively meet its main task, which enables consumers to compare the nutritional value of products in the same category.”

Nutri score evaluates the nutritional value of products based on color-coded reviews from A to E, and remains a voluntary labeling system in the EU, although it is ultimately used as mandatory.

A change in the algorithms, with which the products were rated in 2023, led to controversy, with some skiing in brackets that they considered unfavorable.

In the middle of the controversy, Danone made the decision last year to remove Nutri score labels from his milk and herbal drinks sold in Europe, citing the new algorithm.

Nestlé insisted that his decision to remove the labels for its local Swiss products was not related to the change.

The spokesman said: “In June 2024, we announced our decision to support the new Nutri score algorithm to support consumers in the decision.

“We are now focusing on enlarging the new algorithm for our in-scope products and votes with the two-year transition period defined by the countries that officially support Nutri score.

“This decision is specific to the Swiss market and has not influenced the support of Nestlé for Nutri score in other European countries. Nestlé supported and continues to implement Nutri score in other European countries in which governments for this diet identification are favorable.”

Other EU members who have adopted the voluntary system are France, Belgium, Spain, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

After a change of government, Portugal withdrew from the introduction of the labels last year and claimed that Nutri score could lead to “confusing classifications”.

In a similar way, Italy came to the conclusion in 2022 that the labeling criteria could be interpreted as misleading. At the time, the country's competition authority said that Nutri score “was developed on the basis of an algorithm and on scientific reviews that are not generally recognized and shared”.

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