Netherlands: Nutri-Score Labeling Takes Hold in the Netherlands

In 2019, the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport announced a new nutrition labeling scheme for the Netherlands. Nutri-Score, an invention commissioned by French public health agency Santé Publique, would become the new voluntary front-of-pack nutrition label of choice in the Netherlands. The label’s introduction, however, faced delays as criticism sparked. Some Dutch scientists argued that Nutri-Score ratings do not always align with national dietary guidelines, that the label can be misleading, and that it can undermine consumer trust. To address the criticism, a scientific committee was set up by the Netherlands and seven European countries (that were using or implementing Nutri-Score). The Committee’s mandate is to research possibilities for improving Nutri-Score’s alignment with national dietary guidelines. While this work continues, several Dutch food producers and supermarket chains have already started voluntarily using Nutri-Score on their own initiative.