The Hague (ANP) – It is becoming increasingly easier as a consumer to choose a better option in the supermarket. This is because from the beginning of next year, the logo with colors and letters will show at a glance how the product composition is evaluated. Dutch companies can put a so-called Nutri-Score on the packaging of their products from January 1.
The logo resembles a traffic light and has been visible for a long time, because some products come from countries where Nutri-Score has already been launched. In addition, in recent months, Dutch companies have taken part in a trial with an originally French food quality label. However, product formulations are still calculated using an outdated algorithm.
Local companies that participated in the pilot program have until July 1, 2024 to adapt their logo on their packaging or product to the new calculation method, and foreign companies until the end of 2025. Other companies must use the new logo immediately.
Nutri points
This new algorithm turned out to be necessary because the old calculation method often gave a distorted picture, but Nutri-Score is now According to the Ministry of Health (VWS) “not ideal”. Moreover, the goal is to choose the product with the best composition for the same type of product, but for a healthy diet the so-called five-wheel remains the leader. VWS Reports. For this reason, according to the ministry, it is a particularly useful tool for choosing between foods not included in the disc, such as sauces, biscuits and soft drinks.
When determining the color (dark green to dark orange) and letter (from A to E) of the product, points are allocated per 100 grams, in addition to points for vegetables and fiber, for example, and negative points for sugar and salt, among other things. The final sum of this calculation determines the Nutri-Score. To ensure that vegetable croquettes don’t suddenly get a high score, Nutri-Score specifies that a product must contain at least 40 percent vegetables, fruits and/or legumes per ounce to score.
Anyone walking into a supermarket will see that a muesli bar may have the same logo as a pizza, but the two are not comparable. This is because the calculations are per 100 grams, and a person does not usually eat a whole package of muesli bars in a row, while pizza often serves as a complete meal. Alcohol is the only product excluded from Nutri-Score.
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