Why Danone says goodbye to the Nutri-Score

In 2017, Danone was one of the first food companies to embrace the Nutri-Score. But from September, the manufacturer will gradually remove the label from all its drinkable dairy products and plant-based alternatives.

Changed algorithm

European consumers will soon no longer see Nutri-Score on the packaging of dairy drinks of the Danette, Actimel, Hi-Pro and Danonino brands, nor on Alpro’s plant-based drinks. Remarkable, because years ago Danone was one of the first major food manufacturers to introduce the Nutri-Score, to help people make healthy food choices. But in the meantime, it appears that the manufacturer no longer agrees with the modified algorithm behind the label.

The problem is, the revised Nutri-Score puts dairy and plant-based drinks in the beverage category and thus compares them with soft drinks. According to Danone, this gives a distorted picture of the nutritional value of these products. Indeed, products with a similar composition receive different Nutri-Score depending on whether they are presented in a drinkable or spoonable form.

Inconsistencies

Specifically, for example, the Nutri-Score for the drinkable variant of Hi-Pro goes from A to C, while the same product in spoonable form retains the A. Danonino drinking yoghurt goes to D while the spoonable variant with similar nutritional composition retains the score B. Actimel goes from A to B or even D, depending on the variant.

‘Given these inconsistencies, we have decided to gradually remove the Nutri-Score from our dairy and plant-based products for drinking from September,’ Danone said in a statement. Incidentally, the manufacturer continues to support the introduction of nutritional labelling on a European scale, provided it is scientifically based, easy for consumers to understand and allows for food comparisons.

‘Deplorable and shocking’

The creator of the Nutri-Score, Professor Serge Hercberg, from the University Sorbonne in Paris, reacted sharply: ‘It is regrettable and extremely shocking to see Danone abandon the Nutri-Score because they no longer like the rules of the game established by scientists,’ he told AFP news agency.  According to him, it is relevant to rate solid yoghurt and drinking yoghurt differently even if they contain the same amount of sugar: drinking yoghurt is mainly eaten outside meals, as a ‘liquid snack’, with the risk of ‘high consumption among children and teenagers’.

The Nutri-Score, which was devised with its easy-to-understand colour code to guide consumers towards healthier food choices, has since been introduced in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Luxembourg, Germany, Spain and Switzerland. But there are also fierce opponents in Europe, including Italy. Using the label is not mandatory, manufacturers use it on a voluntary basis.