{"id":22814,"date":"2024-10-29T08:55:54","date_gmt":"2024-10-29T07:55:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/santediabete.org\/?p=22814"},"modified":"2024-10-29T11:35:27","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T10:35:27","slug":"rendre-le-nutri-score-obligatoire-est-une-urgence-de-sante-publique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/santediabete.org\/en_en\/2024\/10\/29\/rendre-le-nutri-score-obligatoire-est-une-urgence-de-sante-publique\/","title":{"rendered":"Making Nutri-Score Mandatory is a Public Health Emergency"},"content":{"rendered":"

Following the opinion piece published<\/a> by Mathilde Touvier, Cynthia Fleury, Serge Hercberg, and St\u00e9phane Besan\u00e7on in Le Monde on October 24, 2024, a collective of 1,142 scientists and healthcare professionals is calling on the Prime Minister to make Nutri-Score mandatory in France.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Nutri-Score nutrition label is a genuine public health tool, grounded in solid scientific evidence. Validated by over a hundred studies in 20 countries, it has demonstrated its effectiveness in improving consumer dietary choices<\/strong>. Numerous studies involving tens or even hundreds of thousands of European citizens have shown that consuming foods with higher Nutri-Score ratings is associated with a lower risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity and metabolic disorders, and premature death. An OECD report from 2024 estimates that 2 million cases of chronic disease could be avoided across Europe by 2050 if Nutri-Score were widely adopted.<\/strong> This simple preventive measure not only reduces chronic disease risk but also has significant social and economic benefits.<\/p>\n

Originally proposed by scientists in 2014, Nutri-Score was officially adopted in France on October 31, 2017, after a long battle against agro-food industry lobbies. However, its adoption has remained voluntary for companies, due to a 2011 European regulation on consumer information (promoted by lobbyists) which prevents member states from requiring a front-of-pack nutritional logo. But<\/p>\n

While no industry players supported Nutri-Score in 2014, and only six companies adopted it at the time of its official launch in 2017, over 1,400 brands now use it, covering about 60% of the French food market. Yet , major agro-food groups have resisted and fought against Nutri-Score for years (such as Ferrero, Coca-Cola, Mars, Lactalis, Mondelez, Kraft, etc.). Some companies (e.g., Danone and Bjorg) initially adopted Nutri-Score but recently decided to remove it from some brands to protect their economic interests, especially after recent updates made Nutri-Score more stringent for highly sugary or salty products.<\/strong>. For Nutri-Score to be optimally effective and fully beneficial for consumers, it must appear on all food packaging.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 2021, there was great hope when the European Commission (EC) announced, as part of its \"Farm to Fork\" strategy, that it would select a single, mandatory nutritional logo for Europe by the end of 2022<\/strong>. Given its scientific basis, the research supporting its algorithm and graphic design (including a recent report by the EC's Joint Research Center), widespread support among European scientists and consumer associations (including BEUC, representing 43 consumer groups in Europe), favorable public consultation results, and official adoption in seven European countries, Nutri-Score was seen as the most credible option.<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

However, the prospect of a mandatory European nutrition logo, and particularly of Nutri-Score being selected, galvanized lobbyists to pressure European decision-making bodies. By the end of 2024, the EC has yet to amend its regulation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amid the EC\u2019s indecision, which is swayed by agro-industry lobbyists and their political allies and fails to protect European consumers\u2019 health by not mandating a scientifically backed nutritional logo as promised two years ago, a collective of over 1,100 scientists and health professionals is urging the Prime Minister to make the historic decision to mandate Nutri-Score on all food packaging in France (in its updated version) and encourage the seven other Nutri-Score-adopting countries to do the same<\/strong>in defense of public health.<\/p>\n

Failing to make Nutri-Score mandatory represents an unacceptable missed opportunity for citizens.<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To date, 1,142 individuals in the Collective have signed this call to the Prime Minister to make Nutri-Score mandatory. Any healthcare professionals or scientists working in the field of health who wish to join this initiative and sign this Call may join the collective by completing the form here:<\/em>\u00a0\u00a0<\/em>https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/1W29MCDtwaSPT83FxJSAMyhVLdiJvzi5VBldPUQHWiaY\/prefill<\/a><\/p>\n

The full text of the Call, titled\u00a0\"A collective of scientists and health professionals calls on the Prime Minister to make Nutri-Score mandatory. This is a public health emergency!\"<\/em> along with the list of the initial 1,142 signatories, is available on the site:<\/strong>\u00a0:\u00a0 https:\/\/nutriscore.blog\/2024\/10\/27\/un-collectif-de-scientifiques-et-professionnels-de-sante-appelle-le-premier-ministre-a-rendre-le-nutri-score-obligatoire-il-sagit-dune-urgence-de-sante-publique\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Contacts\u00a0:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n