Responses to the updated Nutri-Score algorithms in Norway: A qualitative study among food system actors in the NewTools-project

Background: Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack label grading foods and beverages from A to E indicating nutritional quality based on the foods' favorable and unfavorable components, and a contender in the ongoing debate on the possible implementation of a harmonized mandatory front-of-pack nutrition label in the European Union. NewTools is a research project on scoring systems for foods involving 28 partners representing actors involved in the Norwegian food system.

Objective: This study aimed to explore views reported by Norwegian food system actors on the advantages and disadvantages with the updated Nutri-Score algorithms for food and beverages (2022-2023). This included Nutri-Score's performance in ranking foods according to the national food-based dietary guidelines and to the nutritional challenges in Norway.

Design: A total of 28 project partners and 15 other food system stakeholders following the NewTools-project were invited to provide responses on the Nutri-Score algorithms and their application on foods and beverages in the Norwegian food composition table. Thirteen written responses were received and analyzed with qualitative content analysis.

Results: The responses to the updated Nutri-Score varied in content, reflecting mainly concerns. Examples of perceived concerns included excessive penalty of salt content; insufficient differentiation based on fat content in meat, sausages, cheese, and milk; and several unreasonable comparisons across food categories. They also expressed a concern that Nutri-Score may stimulate to increased food processing, and some reported inconsistencies between Nutri-Score's classification of foods and national nutrition guidelines and policies.

Discussion and conclusion: Several concerns with the updated Nutri-Score algorithms were raised, including the weighting of specific nutrients, unfair outcomes when comparing across food categories, and inconsistencies with established Norwegian nutrition guidelines and policies. The results should be interpreted with caution, as some perspectives from the Norwegian food system may be missing.