In an unprecedented move, nearly 350 healthcare professionals, primarily from Geneva, have launched a powerful appeal to Migros, Switzerland’s leading retailer, demanding a reversal of its decision to abandon the Nutri-Score labelling system.
This campaign marks a significant escalation in the national debate over nutritional transparency, placing Migros’s corporate priorities directly in opposition to the public health concerns of a united medical community.
This mobilization highlights a critical juncture for Switzerland’s approach to public health, revealing the stark contrast between industry priorities and the urgent need to address rising obesity, with their stance substantiated by the most current scientific studies and algorithm updates.
The Nutri-Score: a public health asset
Developed in France and adopted across seven European countries, the Nutri-Score evaluates foods, with a rating from A (healthiest) to E (least healthy), based on both positive and negative factors per 100g or 100ml:
- positive factors include fiber (g), protein (g), and the percentage of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts, which improve the score;
- negative factors include energy (kJ), total sugars (g), saturated fatty acids (g), and sodium (mg), which lower the score.
Nutri-Score in Switzerland
In Switzerland, fewer than 100 producers have implemented it, and Migros’ withdrawal marks a significant setback. Health professionals argue that the system, while imperfect, is a crucial step forward in public health (Lüthi et al., 2024).
Dr. Adela Abella, one of the initiators of the open letter, emphasised that abandoning the Nutri-Score prioritises profit over public health, especially after the system recently became stricter in its evaluations with the algorithm updates either for foods and beverages.
Migros denies that stricter criteria influenced its decision, arguing that the system’s benefits do not justify its costs. However, the actual costs are minimal, limited to a scoring algorithm provided by an IT platform and the addition of the Nutri-Score logo to its own-label products, raising doubts about the company’s reasoning.
A tool to tackle obesity and chronic diseases
The Nutri-Score’s importance is underscored by Switzerland’s rising obesity rates, with 31% of adults and 11.9% of children overweight, and 12% and 2.7% obese, respectively. Dr. Johanna Sommer, professor at the Geneva University (Institut de Médecine de famille et de l’enfance, IuMFE), highlighted that obesity significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases, the leading cause of death in Switzerland. It’s worth adding that Nutri-Score has been shown to help prevent cardiovascular diseases, as highlighted by Deschasaux-Tanguy et al. (2024).
The Nutri-Score, professor Sommer argued, is a key component of a broader public health strategy to empower consumers to make informed dietary choices:
- ‘nearly 150 scientific publications demonstrate the usefulness and effectiveness of the Nutri-Score in reducing the consumption of these products and preventing cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and even certain cancers.
- The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development)’, which endorsed Nutri-Score as the best performing Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling (FOPNL) system in Europe, ‘estimates that if all European countries implemented the Nutri-Score, two million chronic diseases could be prevented by 2050’.
Geneva’s cantonal physician Alessandro Cassini echoed this sentiment, noting that the Nutri-Score is scientifically robust and aligns with public health objectives. It not only aids consumers but also incentivises producers to improve product quality. Despite its critics, the system is regularly refined by an independent scientific committee, ensuring its relevance and accuracy.
Criticism and counterarguments
Opponents, often from the agri-food sector, argue that the Nutri-Score’s algorithm is flawed. They claim it fails to account for factors like the degree of food processing, additives, production methods, and origin. Critics also argue that it unfairly penalises traditional products, such as cheese, due to their high salt or fat content.
However, Rebecca Eggenberger, a nutrition specialist, clarified that Nutri-Score is intended for comparing similar products, not for cross-category evaluations. She emphasized that the system provides valuable guidance for moderation rather than outright avoidance. The EREN research group at Sorbonne University also debunked misinformation driven by vested crony industries’ interests.
Additionally, the Nutri-Score’s low public awareness – only 32.3% of respondents in a 2021 study recognised it, in Switzerland – has been cited as a limitation. Experts argue that a lack of government-led promotional campaigns has hindered its adoption. Despite these challenges, the consensus among health professionals is that the Nutri-Score, while imperfect, remains the best available tool for promoting nutritional literacy.
A call for transparency and public health advocacy
The open letter to Migros has also highlighted broader concerns about the influence of the agri-food lobby on public health policies. Dr. Karin Michaelis, a general practitioner in Lausanne, lamented the lack of governmental support for preventive health measures, noting the alarming rise in obesity and type 2 diabetes among younger patients.
Paul Tarteret, a researcher at Unisanté, expressed disappointment in Migros’ decision, given its historical commitment to healthy food choices. It’s also worth noting that Migros accepted Switzerland’s 2022 proposal to reduce sugar in soft drinks by 10%. Meanwhile, Wafa Badran-Amstutz, a dietitian, praised the Nutri-Score’s evolving algorithm, which now accounts for factors like artificial sweeteners, ensuring more accurate evaluations.
Conclusion: a vital tool for healthier futures
The Nutri-Score represents a critical step towards empowering consumers and addressing obesity, NCDs epidemics, in Switzerland as elsewhere. While it still faces crony industries’ lobby-driven criticisms and challenges, its scientific foundation and potential for improvement make it an indispensable tool for public health.
The mobilisation of healthcare professionals underscores the urgency of preserving and promoting the Nutri-Score, ensuring that public health remains a priority over corporate interests. As Dr. Sommer aptly summarised, ‘Without this tool, consumers are left to navigate complex nutritional information alone – a task far from straightforward’.
#PeopleoverProfit, #Égalité
Dario Dongo
Cover photo created with AI
References
- Migros décide d’abandonner le Nutri-Score, jugé trop coûteux. RTS Ch. 21 May 2024. https://tinyurl.com/svbheaj8
- Lüthi, E., Badran-Amstutz, W., & Cornuz, J. (2024). Nutri-Score: que dire aux patientes et patients sur ce thème scientifique d’actualité ? Médecine de première ligne. DOI: 10.53738/REVMED.2024.20.894.2063
- Linda Bourget, Didier Bonvin. 350 professionnels de la santé appellent Migros à réintroduire le nutri-score. RTS Ch. 19 March 2025 https://tinyurl.com/sbmcym2u
- Deschasaux-Tanguy, Mélanie et al. (2024). Nutritional quality of diet characterized by the Nutri-Score profiling system and cardiovascular disease risk: a prospective study in 7 European countries. The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, Volume 46, 101006. Doi: 10.1016/j.lanepe.2024.101006
- Devaux M, Aldea A, Lerouge A, Vuik S, Cecchini M. Establishing an EU-wide front-of-pack nutrition label: Review of options and model-based evaluation. Obes Rev. 2024 Feb. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13719
- Aurélie Toninato. Près de 350 professionnels de la santé se mobilisent pour sauver le Nutri-Score. 24 heures. 18 March 25. https://tinyurl.com/4m8as92t
- Dubois et al. (2021). Effects of front-of-pack labels on the nutritional quality of supermarket food purchases: evidence from a large-scale randomized controlled trial. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 49, 119–138. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-020-00723-5
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
