French MPs Vote to Make Nutri-Score Labeling Mandatory on Food Packaging
PARIS, October 7 – French deputies voted Friday evening to require Nutri-Score labeling on food packaging, a move proponents say will help consumers make healthier choices. the amendment, passed as part of the draft Social Security budget for 2026, aims to address the lack of openness surrounding the nutritional value of processed foods.
The proposal, jointly supported by socialist and ecologist MPs, isn’t without exceptions. Certain products, including those with AOP labels or locally sourced items, will be exempt from the mandatory labeling. Socialist MP Sabrina Sebaihi highlighted the need for the change, stating, “Major brands like Coca-Cola or Ferrero do not have Nutri-score on their packaging. And yet we certainly know that it is indeed bad for your health.”
The Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack labeling system that rates food and beverages according to their nutritional quality, using a scale from A (healthiest) to E (least healthy). While the system has gained traction with consumers, its implementation has faced resistance from some food manufacturers and government officials.
The government expressed skepticism regarding the amendment,with Minister of Health Stephanie Rist warning it “contravenes European Union law with a risk of sanction,” while still acknowledging the “interest” and increasing consumer use of Nutri-Score.
A subamendment introduced by Renaissance MP Jean-François Rousset further clarifies the exemptions, excluding products benefiting from national or European quality signs like PDO or AOC labels, aiming to differentiate between “local products” and “ultra-processed products.”
Companies failing to comply with the new law could face a 5% tax on their turnover, with the proceeds going to Health Insurance. Though, concerns remain about the practical implementation of this tax, as noted by Thibault Bazin, the general rapporteur of the draft Social Security budget, who stated, “I don’t know how it’s going to work, and how it can be implemented operationally, it’s not going to be simple.”
the amendment will become definitive upon a vote on the Social Security finance bill on wednesday in the Assembly, before being sent to the Senate for review.
