Planet-Score, the French environmental labelling scheme, is evolving to improve the transparency of products on-shelf. The updated iteration continues to rate products based on their environmental impacts and methods of production, while also providing additional details such as the product’s degree of processing, origin, and fair remuneration to its producers. Consumers are increasingly seeking this information, which is not currently provided by France’s official voluntary nutrition labelling scheme Nutri-Score.
Developed in 2021 by the Organic Food and Farming Institute (ITAB), research organisation Sayari, and consumer-focused research firm Very Good Future, Planet-Score differentiates environmental impacts between categories and within categories according to their differing production methods. To set itself apart, the scheme uses life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology but also addresses other elements associated with sustainability such as pesticides, climate, biodiversity, and animal welfare, which are minimally, poorly, or not covered at all in LCA analyses.
The result is a composite format that presents these four indicators as well as an aggregated score. For brands that want them, three more indicators are being added to the label. The degree of processing, origin of product, and whether farmers have been fairly remunerated for their raw materials are too often not transparent, according to Planet-Score. Although some companies are working positively, it’s difficult for consumers to navigate the profusion of disparate claims.
To measure the new indicators, Planet-Score scans label and commitments made by food and beverage manufacturers. Early adopters of the scheme include poultry cooperative Fermiers de Loué, online grocery platform Omie & Cie, and organic retailer Biocoop. For the degree of processing, Planet-Score uses the NOVA classification system, which divides levels of food processing into four classifications, from raw and minimally processed foods to ultra-processed foods. But the scheme also identifies products with synthetic additives, particularly those linked to public health issues in scientific publications.
Assessing fair remuneration to farmers is done by verifying certification schemes from the Global North and South, while assessment of product origin is done depending on whether the product is plant-based or animal-derived. For plant-based products, Planet-Score is concerned about where the item was made, while for animal-derived products, it considers both its origin of production and origin of feed.
“As a whole, our team and stakeholders think that sustainability is a holistic story: we can’t hope for a real transition if we are not able to bring transparency on all major issues of the food sector,” said a Planet-Score spokesperson.
