Document 37.1
About Nomad Foods
Headquartered in the UK, Nomad Foods is Europe's leading frozen foods company. We operate and
manufacture in 14 key markets across Europe and employ approximately 5000 people. Every day, millions
of European households enjoy products from Birds Eye, Findus, iglo and our other brands and we have a
huge opportunity to help consumers eat more sustainably, given our portfolio is centered around fish and
vegetable products that are great tasting, nutritious, affordable and available everywhere. We are also
pro
frozen meat-free brand.
nutrition and operations which are designed to drive continuous progress in line with the UN Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) [in particular 2 (Zero Hunger), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production),
14 (Life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land)], deliver on our purpose
rving the world with better
and focus our actions in support of the transition to a net zero society.
We recognise our responsibility to promote sustainable growth, to produce good food and empower
positive choices by consumers, to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions, to help make
farming part of the solution to climate change and biodiversity loss and to reduce food loss and waste.
EU Transparency Register Number: 314891743101-96
What is Front-of-pack labelling?
Front-of-pack nutrition labelling (FOPNL) is a method of signposting the nutritional composition of a
product in a simplified way on the front of food and drink packaging, aiming to help consumers make
more informed food choices. Under the current EU rules, FOPNL is not mandatory.
FOPNL is increasingly used across the world (31 unique schemes), either on a voluntary basis or endorsed
by governments based on evidence demonstrating positive impact on consumer food and drink
purchases. In Europe 15 countries, and counting, have interpretive FOPNL schemes.
Additionally, FOPNL plays a role in driving towards a more nutritious food supply by stimulating product
reformulation and healthier product innovation.
Making a healthy choice an easy choice
The current EU back-of-pack nutrition information table has been shown to create problems in
interpretation for consumers: it is less likely to be noticed, and complex to understand for some. This is
important as research has shown an association between use of FOPNL and healthier diets.
An EU-wide simplified FOPNL scheme such as a Nutri-Score would allow consumers to easily assess the
healthiness of a product, helping to drive healthier product choices and purchase. Research shows that
FOPNL increases
; for example, sales of Nutri-Score A and B
products increase, and the presence of Nutri-Score D and E on pack reduce impulsivity towards less
healthy foods.
Nutri-Score, the best option for consumers
Nutri-Score is one of the most popular interpretive FOPNL schemes. It offers a holistic assessment of the
nutritional composition of foods and drinks. Each product is given an assessment of its healthiness using
a colour-coded lettered scale from A to E.
Nutri-Score allows consumers to make informed choices, helping them to choose the healthier options
conveniently and quickly within a given category.
The Nutri-Score rating is applied based on an algorithm that takes into consideration positive nutrients
and ingredients, for instance, fruit and vegetables, healthy oils, fibre and proteins, and those nutrients
that should be limited in the diet such as saturated fat, sugar, salt etc. The algorithm looks at per 100gr
or 100ml of products, to ensure a standard baseline for consumers to then compare between products.
Nutri-Score also provides a clear framework for manufacturers aiming to innovate or reformulate their
products, encouraging them to place healthier products on the market.
Compared with other FOP labelling solutions, Nutri-Score rates higher on consumer trust, liking and ease
of understanding. This translates into findings that Nutri-Score has the most significant positive impact on
1.
Some studies also suggest that the Nutri-Score FOPNL scheme is the most efficient in terms of diminishing
mortality from diet-related non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, given that it can help consumers
to improve their dietary quality and healthiness.
Nutri-Score is supported by public health organisations, various food companies and health agencies
across Europe. France, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland have already formally adopted the scheme.
Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Spain have announced their wil ingness to roll out Nutri-Score, while
Italy has been critical of the scheme because it ranks traditional foods such as olive oil and parmesan as
less healthy choices.
Nutri-Score in a nutshel :
Simplified rating of product healthiness that is easy to understand.
Helps to drive informed, healthier choices.
Provides a single overall score for a food or drink; does not require understanding of nutrients.
Tried and tested FOPNL scheme, already successful y in use in several countries.
Understood by consumers, including those that normally do not pay attention to food labels.
1 Egnell M, Talati Z, Pettigrew S, Galan P, Hercberg S, Julia C (2019) Comparison of front-of-pack labels to help German
consumers understand the nutritional quality of food products. Color-coded labels outperform all other systems.
Ernahrungs Umschau 66(5): 76 84.
Nomad Foods recommendations
Nomad Foods is committed to helping consumers make healthier food choices. We know that
consumers, retailers and other stakeholders are increasingly asking for brands that are more sustainable
and our teams are dedicated to creating great tasting food that is good for people and good for the
planet. We call this Eating for the Planet, and our objective is to democratise sustainable eating.
Over 90% of our branded net sales come from healthier meal choices* and about 40% of the goods we
purchase annually by volume are vegetables.
We are committed to working with our partners and stakeholders to ensure that good food is affordable,
healthy and sustainable. By adopting label ing schemes which are evidenced to positively impact health
we also aim to ensure consumers are empowered to make informed positive choices.
standing and
create confusion in the market which would be counter-productive to the public health objectives of food
label ing.
In this context, we believe that more consistent FOPNL is beneficial for consumers and that this can best
be delivered in the form of a Nutri-Score.
*according to our Nutrient Profiling Tool, a minimal y adapted version of the UK OFCOM Nutrient Profiling
Model, which also serves as the basis of Nutri-Score
