The new government in Portugal has decided to pause the implementation of Nutri-Score front-of-pack labels in the country. The previous socialist government had proposed adopting the traffic light labeling system, which categorizes products based on their nutritional value, with A (green) being the best and E (red) the worst.
However, the current Democratic Alliance center-right government, which won the recent general elections, has raised concerns about the legality of this decision. The Agriculture Ministry of Portugal stated that the General Directorate of Food and Veterinary (DGAV), responsible for food labeling, was not consulted before the decision was made.
In a decree published on June 11, the government emphasized the importance of having flexible legislation on food information to avoid misleading or confusing consumers. The DGAV also expressed reservations about Nutri-Score, suggesting that it could lead to ambiguous classifications.
Nutri-Score, introduced in France in 2017, has been adopted by several European countries but has not yet received approval at the EU level. Some member states, including Italy, have opposed the scheme. Reports indicate that the deadline for recommending a single EU nutrition labeling scheme is unlikely to be met, and Nutri-Score may not be proposed as the preferred option.
The decision on which labeling scheme to recommend has been postponed until the second quarter of 2024, following the European Parliament elections. This delay reflects ongoing discussions and debates surrounding the various front-of-pack labeling initiatives in Europe.
