It's time! State Secretary van Ooijen introduces Nutri-Score in the Netherlands
State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen (Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport) has informed the House of Representatives by letter about the legal introduction of Nutri-Score food label in the Netherlands. The Health Council previously concluded that Nutri-Score can be a valuable addition to the existing nutritional information, in particular for people who are difficult to reach with the current information and who more often have an unhealthy diet.
Van Ooijen endorses this and says:
“I agree with the expectation that the logo can have added value as a complementary tool in nutritional information”.
The use of Nutri-Score remains voluntary for the time being and companies may start using the revised algorithm from 1 January 2024.
In addition to the nutritional guidelines
Companies wishing to use Nutri-Score must first register with Santé Publique France and agree to the Nutri-Score terms of use. Dutch companies must immediately use the revised algorithm upon registration. The transition period for the pilot products in the Netherlands runs until July 1, 2024. All pilot products with the old algorithm and the old score on the label must then be adjusted and brought into line with the revised algorithm.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport indicates in the letter that preparations are underway for a national communication campaign for consumers about the use of Nutri-Score. No start date has yet been specified. The Health Council already indicated in its advice at the end of 2022 that Nutri-Score is an addition to the Dutch dietary guidelines. Nutri-Score will be presented next to the Wheel of Five as a tool for making healthier choices at the product level.
We are welcoming this decision!
At Schuttelaar & Partners, we closely follow the Nutri-Score file and we are in contact with the stakeholders involved. We advise companies on Nutri-Score and how to fit Nutri-Score into a company's health policy, the calculation behind Nutri-Score, product improvement based on Nutri-Score and communication about Nutri-Score to customers and relations. We do this, among other things, by sharing knowledge in workshops or a tailor-made master class.