Mandatory Nutri-Score on food products: over 100,000 signatures in France

A petition launched in France calling for the mandatory introduction of the Nutri-Score system on food packaging gathered over 100,000 signatures over the weekend, reaching approximately 104,000 supporters by Monday, according to Le Figaro.

Those behind the petition want the issue brought back before the French Parliament, after a proposal to make Nutri-Score mandatory was rejected last year during discussions on the social security budget for 2026.

What is Nutri-Score

Nutri-Score is a food labelling system that assigns each product a letter, from A to E, accompanied by a colour. As a general rule, the letter A indicates a better nutritional profile, whilst E indicates a less favourable one.

The score is calculated taking into account factors such as energy value, sugar, salt, and saturated fat content, as well as components considered beneficial, such as fibre, protein, and certain plant-based ingredients. The system is designed to allow consumers to compare the nutritional quality of products on the shelf more quickly.

Currently in France, displaying Nutri-Score on the front of packaging is optional. The authors of the petition argue that this approach is insufficient, as manufacturers can choose not to display the rating on their own products.

Who started the petition and who supports it

The petition was launched in November 2025 by four researchers involved in the creation of Nutri-Score: Serge Hercberg, Mathilde Touvier, Emmanuelle Kesse, and Maria Galan.

Serge Hercberg, emeritus professor of nutrition at Université Sorbonne Paris Nord and one of the system's creators, has urged the public to keep signing, stating that the next milestones could be 150,000 or even 200,000 signatures. The initiators hope that this public support will influence debates on the social security budget for 2027.

In May, the initiative was backed by the French National Academy of Medicine, along with 45 scientific and medical societies and 33 associations. In July, the French national health insurance system also called for Nutri-Score to become mandatory on packaged products.

The situation in Romania

The petition's authors argue that, for the same nutritional information to appear on all packaged products regardless of manufacturer, the system must be mandatory rather than optional, as it currently stands in France.

In Romania, Nutri-Score is not mandatory. The voluntary introduction of these A-to-E letter labels on food products has itself been the subject of debate.