Appropriation of the Front-of-Pack Nutrition Label Nutri-Score across the French Population: Evolution of Awareness, Support, and Purchasing Behaviors between 2018 and 2019

Abstract

Since the implementation of the Nutri-Score on a voluntary basis in 2017 in France, very few studies have evaluated how the label was recognized and used by consumers. The goal of this study was to assess the evolution of awareness, support, and perceived impact on purchasing behaviors of the Nutri-Score in France. Between April 2018 and May 2019, a total of 4006 participants were recruited across three successive waves and answered questions regarding awareness of the Nutri-Score, support of the measure, and change of behavior following the implementation of the Nutri-Score via an online survey. Descriptive analyses to assess the evolution over time were performed, as well as logistic regression models to evaluate associations between the different outcomes and individual characteristics. From April 2018 to May 2019, the awareness of the Nutri-Score increased considerably, reaching 81.5% in May 2019. Since April 2018, a steady proportion of participants—9 out of 10—showed strong support toward the measure and a similar proportion, 87.2%, declared being in favor of making the Nutri-Score mandatory. The impact on purchasing behaviors appeared promising given the limited implementation of the label, with 42.9% of the participants reporting they modified their purchasing behaviors thanks to the measure. Multivariate analyses showed that the impact on purchasing behaviors of the Nutri-Score was greater over time, on younger populations and on frequent labeling readers. Our results suggested that the labeling system was well received and used by all socioeconomic groups, including subgroups who are more likely to have a lower-quality diet.

Comparison of appropriateness of Nutri-Score and other front-of-pack nutrition labels across a group of Moroccan consumers: awareness, understanding and food choices

“…The Nutri-Score was also ranked by the participants as the preferred label and considered as the easiest of being spotted, to be understood and to provide rapid information. These results are also consistent with studies showing that Nutri-Score is strongly supported by consumers and appears as the preferred format compared to other labels especially by populations with the lowest levels of nutritional knowledge [ 25 – 27 ].…”

The Nutri-Score nutrition label

“…The results of scientific studies performed on large populations (several thousand or tens of thousands of subjects) [34][35][36] and consumer surveys carried out in France [37], Spain [38], Belgium [39] and Germany [40] consistently demonstrate the superiority of Nutri-Score compared to the other nutrition labels tested, in terms of perception, ease of identification and speed of interpretation. All studies show that the Nutri-Score is perceived favourably by consumers and appears as the preferred format compared to other labels, particularly in populations with the lowest levels of nutritional knowledge.…”

Potentieller Einfluss des Nutri-Scores auf den Kaufentscheid und die Energie- und Nährstoffaufnahme der Schweizer Bevölkerung

“…Im Mai 2019 steigerten sich diese Angaben bei den Teilnehmenden, die über den Nutri-Score Bescheid wussten, auf 42,9%. Sie konnten zeigen, dass der Einfluss des Nutri-Scores auf das Einkaufsverhalten mit der Zeit grösser wird 13 . Es ist denkbar, dass eine Wiederholung der vorliegenden Studie zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt zu anderen Ergebnissen führen würde.…”