Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack nutrition label that rates food products on a simple scale from A (healthiest) to E (least healthy). Developed by French epidemiologist Serge Hercberg and adopted across multiple European countries, it has become one of the most recognised tools for making quick, informed food choices at the supermarket shelf. LBN brings Nutri-Score ratings to every product you scan — for free.
Nutri-Score condenses complex nutritional data into a single letter grade from A (dark green, best) to E (red, worst). It is designed for quick comparison of similar products — choose the cereal with a B over the one with a D.
Nutri-Score uses a point-based algorithm that weighs both negative and positive nutritional factors per 100 g of product:
Negative points (0–40) are assigned for energy density (kcal), saturated fat, sugars, and sodium. Higher values mean more negative points.
Positive points (0–15) are assigned for fibre, protein, and the percentage of fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and oils. Higher values mean more positive points.
The final Nutri-Score is calculated as: negative points minus positive points. A lower result maps to a better grade (A), while a higher result maps to a worse grade (E). The thresholds differ slightly for solid foods, beverages, and cheese/fats to account for category differences.
The five Nutri-Score grades
A — Dark Green
Highest nutritional quality. Typically fresh fruit, vegetables, wholegrain bread, plain yoghurt, legumes, and fish. These products have low sugar, low saturated fat, low sodium, and high fibre or protein.
B — Light Green
Good nutritional quality. Examples include semi-skimmed milk, poultry, whole-wheat pasta, and many frozen vegetables. Slightly more processed or calorie-dense than A-rated products.
C — Yellow
Average nutritional quality. Products like breakfast cereals, fruit juice, processed cheese, and some ready meals. Acceptable in moderation but worth comparing against alternatives.
D — Orange
Below average nutritional quality. Includes many processed snacks, sugary drinks, ice cream, and fatty meats. Consume occasionally rather than daily.
E — Red: Lowest nutritional quality. Heavily processed foods with high sugar, high saturated fat, and high sodium. Crisps, sweets, some fast food, sugary cereals, and soft drinks often fall here.
How LBN shows Nutri-Score
When you scan a product with LBN's barcode scanner, the Nutri-Score grade is displayed prominently on the product card with its corresponding colour. You do not need to toggle any settings or enable a premium feature — it appears automatically for every product that has Nutri-Score data available.
The grade sits alongside the calorie count, macro breakdown, and E-number analysis, giving you a 360-degree view of the product in a single glance.
When Nutri-Score is most useful
- Comparing similar products — choosing between two brands of yoghurt, two breakfast cereals, or two frozen pizzas. Nutri-Score makes the healthier option immediately obvious.
- Quick supermarket decisions — when you are in a hurry and cannot study the back-of-pack label, a single letter grade saves time.
- Shopping for family — the colour-coded system is intuitive enough for older children and teenagers to understand.
- Identifying ultra-processed food — products rated D and E are disproportionately ultra-processed, making Nutri-Score a useful proxy for the NOVA classification.
LBN vs other apps for Nutri-Score
Nutri-Score is a useful tool but not the only one. It rates food per 100 g, which means some nutrient-dense but calorie-heavy foods like olive oil and nuts score poorly despite being healthy in appropriate portions. Conversely, a zero-calorie diet drink might score well despite offering no nutritional value. Use Nutri-Score alongside macro tracking and common sense — not as your sole guide. It is best for comparing similar products: two brands of bread, two types of cereal, two pasta sauces.
Limitations of Nutri-Score
No single metric captures the full complexity of nutrition, and Nutri-Score has its critics:
- Per-100g basis — it does not account for typical serving sizes. A small square of dark chocolate (healthy in moderation) may score worse than a large serving of low-fat yoghurt.
- No distinction between sugar types — natural sugars in fruit and added sugars in sweets are treated the same.
- Fat nuance — olive oil scores poorly because of its fat content, despite abundant evidence of cardiovascular benefits.
- Not universal — Nutri-Score data is not available for all products, particularly those from countries where the system has not been adopted.
Despite these limitations, Nutri-Score remains one of the best quick-assessment tools available, and LBN is one of the few nutrition trackers that makes it accessible at point of scan.
Related features Free
- Barcode scanner — Nutri-Score appears automatically on every scan.
- E-number checker — decode additives alongside the Nutri-Score.
- Calorie tracker — see the full nutritional picture, not just a letter grade.
- Macro tracker — understand what is behind the calories.
Make smarter food choices in seconds, not minutes. Download LBN free on Android and see Nutri-Score ratings for every product you scan — instant, colour-coded, and completely free.
