Food for Thought: Germany’s Journey with Nutri-Score

Upon my arrival in Germany, one of the first things I did was go to a grocery store. In a newly discovered store, which I now know very well (Rewe), I quickly noticed that a lot of the food items in the store were ranked on a “nutri-score” scale from A-E. I had originally gone into the store to buy some lunch meat and was completely thrown off by the fact that the meat was ranked an “E” on the scale. I was unsure if the lunch meat had gone bad or why it was ranked so poorly. Given that I had always thought lunch meat was typically good for your health, I was very confused about why it received such a low score. After looking further into this topic I learned that the nutri-scoring system was based on the same algorithm for every food and thus doesn’t necessarily reflect the “healthiness” of the product. That is not to say, however, that the nutri-score system is completely useless and wrong. The nutri-score system ensures that by eating highly ranked foods, one will get their necessary nutrients without exceeding limits for fat and salt content. Although I personally don’t agree with some of the health ratings I see in the grocery store, I think this system is still a good step for public health infrastructure. 

Firstly, I think it is important to acknowledge why the nutri-score system is necessary. The nutri-score system in Germany was actually implemented fairly recently in 2020 to address rising health concerns relating to diet and nutrition (Fedde, 2022). Traditionally, when buying an item from the grocery store, the only way to see what you are consuming is by looking at the ingredients list on the back of the packaging. You can see this information along with the nutritional information, but it is not easy to understand. If you went to the grocery store and grabbed a few of your favorite snacks, I can almost guarantee that you don’t know some, if not most, of the ingredients. And for someone like me, who has researched a decent amount into healthy eating, I know certain vitamins and nutrients that are healthy but I am not an expert on how these vitamins and nutrients should be balanced within our bodies. This is where the nutri-score system comes into play. The nutri-score is calculated based on the balanced nutritional quality of the food. Negative factors on the nutri-score include foods high in calories, sugar, saturated fat, and salt, and positive factors on the nutri-score include foods high in fiber, protein, and healthy oils. As mentioned at the start, this is why my lunch meat was ranked so poorly on the nutri-score, as it was high in salt and fat. A lot of cheeses are also ranked poorly for the same reason, but does this mean these foods should be avoided? Obviously cheese and lunch meat should not be completely avoided just because they often have low scores on the nutri-score. In fact, these foods can be extremely beneficial to your health when consumed in moderation. So my advice would be to take the nutri-score grade with a grain of salt (no pun intended) and make a judgement based on your intuition. 

In conclusion, the nutri-score system serves as a tool to enhance consumer awareness and facilitate healthier food choices in Germany. While it faces criticism regarding its methodology and impact on traditional foods, its adoption signifies a step toward more informed dietary decisions. Ongoing evaluations and potential adjustments to the system may address existing concerns, ensuring that Nutri-Score remains a valuable component of Germany’s nutritional policy framework.​ While I have found many faults with the nutri-score system, I still feel confident in what I am eating when I do find something that is an “A” on the scale. Additionally, I think implementing systems like this one in countries that are struggling with obesity, like the United States would be a great first step towards a healthier nation. 

-Jack G

References:

Eurofins Deutschland. (2023). The Nutri-Score 2023 – all important facts. Retrieved from https://www.eurofins.de/food-analysis/other-services/nutri-score/​

Ernährungs Umschau. (2022). Implementation of the Nutri-Score. Retrieved from https://www.ernaehrungs-umschau.de/english-articles/15-11-2022-implementation-of-the-nutri-score/