Nutri-Score creator accuses Italian government of “gastro-populism” in food sovereignty dispute

08 May 2024 --- The incumbent Italian government, led by Giorgia Meloni, has proposed a change to the nation’s constitution in relation to the adoption of the five-color front-of-pack label Nutri-Score. Serge Hercberg, professor of nutrition at the faculty of medicine at Sorbonne Paris North University, France, on whose work the Nutri-Score is based, argues strongly against the food policies of Meloni’s party.

“The Italian government’s assertion that the Nutri-Score is biased against Italian food products and that it undermines the country’s national identity is totally absurd,” Hercberg tells Nutrition Insight. 

“The demagogy of gastro-populism and the identity flattery of culinary nationalism are part of the strategies of food lobbyists and politicians, particularly of the right, seeking to instrumentalize and block a public health measure such as NutriScore. Obviously, the Nutri-Score doesn’t take into consideration the origin of foods.” 

Speaking at a rally for the upcoming EU elections, Italy’s agriculture minister Francesco Lollobrigida, a member of the ruling Fratelli d’Italia, proposed introducing amendments to the constitution that would make the introduction of the Nutri-Score in the country challenging, bringing the idea of EU-wide Nutri-Score introduction into question. 

“The Republic guarantees the healthy nutrition of its citizens. To this end, it pursues the principle of food sovereignty and protects products that symbolize national identity,” will state the amendment to Article 32 of the Italian constitution. 

The proposed constitutional changes aim to affirm the health benefits of Italian food, thus challenging the Nutri-Score’s food scores.Constitutional amendments 
The procedure to amend the Italian constitution has already been set in motion within the lower parliamentary chamber, with similar proceedings expected to take place in the upper chamber. If the motion passes with a simple majority in the two chambers with identical but separate functions, a national referendum on the question is likely to take place. 

The aim of the proposed changes is to affirm the health benefits of Italian food at a constitutional level, thus challenging the Nutri-Score’s food scores. 

“The Italian government’s proposed amendment to its constitution that would stymie the introduction of the EU-backed Nutri-Score system in Italy is a testimony of the will of the Italian government to defend purely economic interests. Blocking the adoption of the NutriScore in Europe is indeed the objective of the Italian agri-food sector,” Sercberg argues.

 “It is the demonstration that the Italian government puts economic interests ahead of those of the population by preventing consumers from having access to real transparency on the nutritional quality of food, as given by the Nutri-Score, a public health tool based on science and understandable by all.”

Not targeting Italian products 
The professor asserts that it is clear that Nutri-Score does not aim to penalize the products ‘made in Italy’ or any other EU country. “It only aims to provide transparency on the nutritional quality of foods and help consumers to guide their choices.” 

“Some Italian lobbyists and politicians point out that Italian cheeses ‘Made in Italy’ are given ranks D and E on the Nutri-Score (as an argument against the scoring system). However, these scores are not worse than those given to cheeses from France, Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece or Switzerland,” responds Hercberg.

He points out that Roquefort cheese, Bleu d’Auvergne and Gouda all score E on the Nutri-Score. Meanwhile, Manchego, Brie de Meaux, Emmental, Conté, Saint-Nectaire and Camembert are all given the lowest nutritional ranking — D. “Note that among the unique traditional cheeses classified as Nutri-Score C (the best possible score for cheese), we find the famous Italian cheeses Mozzarella and Ricotta (and no french cheeses).” 

Sercberg asserts that it is clear that Nutri-Score does not aim to penalize the products ‘made in Italy’ or any other EU country.Representatives of the Dutch dairy industry have similarly expressed concerns over the Nutri-Score rankings for cheese.

“In the same way, Italian deli meats are no worse ranked by the Nutri-Score than other European meats, whether they are French, Spanish, German or other. Traditional foods such as cheeses and deli meats are classified as D or E because of the amounts of saturated fat and salt they tend to contain. They can be consumed as part of a perfectly balanced diet, but of course, in limited quantities and frequencies. This assertion is in total coherence with the general nutritional recommendations for public health, including those in Italy.” 

He further sets out to disprove another Italian politician’s talking point concerning Italian olive oil’s supposed D ranking. “In fact, olive oil was previously classified C, and since January 2024, it ranks B (green) following the update of the algorithm.” 

Nutrition and cultural identity 
Discussing if and how the Nutri-Score system can accommodate the dietary preferences and cultural significance of various European countries, including Italy, Sercberg states that the “Nutri-Score is based on science and public health. It can only be updated based on scientific arguments.”

“Science and public health are the same for consumers in Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway or Finland. So Nutri-Score cannot be adapted, despite this being the request of lobbyists in different countries,” he notes.

“However, it is clear that communication associated with the Nutri-Score should take into consideration cultural aspects, traditions, dietary habits and culinary patrimony. While the ranking itself cannot be changed based on these considerations, the way we communicate about nutrition and the Nutri-Score can and should be adapted to the different countries that adopt Nutri-Score,” he acknowledges. 

By Milana Nikolova