Is the nutrition labeling Nutri-Score too transparent? Or is it misleading consumers? The reasoning is not yet available, but the only certainty is: The district court of Hamburg has issued a preliminary injunction against the labeling of packaging from the frozen food manufacturer Iglo with the Nutri score. What exactly is the basis for the decision, Iglo so far not, but announced that "as soon as possible" appeal to appeal.

The application for an injunction is officially filed by the Schutzverband gegen Unwesen in der Wirtschaft eV, based in Munich. Who hides behind the club, is largely unclear, the club does not publish a list of members, the phone is turned off, and you do not respond to e-mails. Over the past few years, the club has repeatedly made warnings against various manufacturers, such as the consumer goods group Procter & Gamble.

In the current case, the association is helping - intentionally or otherwise - the food industry, which has been fighting vehemently for more than ten years against a nutrition labeling with the traffic light colors red, yellow and green. Recently, however, a few manufacturers from the front shied against the traffic light: Danone, Iglo, Bofrost and some smaller producers decided to label their packaging in the current year in Germany with the Nutri score system.

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Nutri score comparison test: So different are the foods rated

In France, this type of labeling is already widespread, Belgium, Spain, Portugal and Luxembourg want to follow, but on a voluntary basis - national unilateral by law are not allowed in the EU. The Nutri score provides an overall rating of a product, cheap and unfavorable nutritional ingredients are scored and then netted. The result is displayed on the front of the pack in a five-level color scale, which is also stored with the letters A to E. A product with a favorable, well-balanced nutritional profile is given a green classification and the letter A, a very unbalanced product receives a red rating and the letter E.

The industry association BLL rejects the Nutri score, a color coding is "a subjective rating". By contrast, consumer advocates are in favor of the simple-to-understand system, even the state-run Max Rubner Institute rates the Nutri score rather positively.

BLL / BLL - Federation for Food Law and Food Science eV / obs

Model for a nutritional label of the food association BLL

Foodwatch calls the Hamburg court decision therefore as "absurd spectacle". In truth, it is about tough industrial policy of the federal government, says Foodwatch Campaign Director Matthias Wolfschmidt: "Nutrition Minister Julia Klöckner could have long sought the EU Commission Commission for the Nutri score - instead, it leaves all companies that want to introduce this label , run into the open knife. "

In fact, national unilateral moves are just possible, the federal government would have to just draft a regulation and have them approved by the EU Commission in Brussels. Federal Minister of Food Klöckner (CDU) does not want to do that. The reasoning of her ministry: None of the labeling systems hitherto on the market is completely satisfactory - neither the classic nutrient traffic light, which is widespread in Great Britain, nor the Nutri score used in several countries or the Keyhole model, which is widely used in Scandinavia.

Klöckner will probably develop its own model in close cooperation with industry and consumer associations. According to the coalition agreement, this should be presented at the latest in the summer.