Danone pulls back from Nutri-Score labels

Revisions to the criteria have placed dairy and plant-based beverages in the same category as soft drinks. The Activia and Alpro owner said the change creates “a major inconsistency”. It will remove the labels from this month.

Nutri-Score, a colour-coded system on nutritional quality, was launched in France in 2017 in a bid to give consumers an at-a-glance ranking of a product on a scale running from A to E.

Danone has used the labels on products it sells in countries including France, Belgium, Germany and Spain. In 2020, Danone and Nestlé called for the use of Nutri-Score, which is still voluntary, to be made mandatory.

However, the labels have proved unpopular in some European markets. Some EU members, notably Italy, have voiced their opposition to the scheme, believing the labels unfairly penalise certain products. In June, Portugal’s new government halted the planned introduction of the front-of-pack labels in the country.

The EU has been working to adopt a single labelling system across the bloc for several years but has so far been unsuccessful in reaching an agreement between member states.

Consumer advocates took to social media to criticise Danone’s move.

Just Food