Luxembourg is joining the group of countries that have embraced the Nutri-Score food label, like France and Belgium. Nevertheless, the objective remains European harmonisation.
Voluntary
The legal framework to implement the food label should be in place by Easter, meaning that the real start – including a major information campaign – will begin during the summer. Much like in Belgium, the implementation will not be obligatory. “It is clear that producers of sugar-rich products are not necessarily enthusiastic, but we hope that the introduction of Nutri-Score will encourage them to review the contents of their products“, Paulette Lenert, Minister of Consumer Protection, told Le Quotidien.
Given its small market, Luxembourg is highly dependent on imports. It is an additional reason for the formal adoption of the Nutri-Score label: “We opted for the model introduced by France in 2017. In the meantime, all our neighbouring countries, as well as the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain, have already introduced it. Choosing this system also means we can avoid confusion among consumers”, the minister continued.
European system
Nevertheless, Lenert remains strongly in favour of a harmonised European system in the area of nutritional quality. “We have already raised the issue with the European Commission’s Directorate General For Health and Food Safety. Luxembourg continues to argue strongly in favour of European labelling, even though there is currently no precise timetable.”
Nutri-Score attributes a colour and a corresponding letter to indicate to what extent a product contributes to a healthy diet. Ingredients that are beneficial to health (such as fibre and protein) as well as nutrients that are best restricted (such as saturated fatty acids, sugars and salt) contribute to a total score of A (green, best) to E (red, worst).
