Is Nutri-Score aligned with the nutrient profile regulating food marketing to children in Portugal?

Background

Simplified front-of-pack nutrition labelling is recognised as an important strategy to promote healthier food choices and improve food environments. The Nutri-Score (NS) has been progressively adopted in the Portuguese market (PTmk). Its algorithm was updated in 2023 to improve alignment with nutrient profile models and to better differentiate healthier from less healthy foods. However, the NS alignment with Portuguese policy-based nutrient criteria (PTnc) remains insufficiently explored. This study assessed consistency between NS and the national nutrient profile model restricting food advertising aimed at children (NPMv) as well as the reference values of the Integrated Strategy for the Promotion of Healthy Eating (EIPAS_Rv).

Methods

Nutritional information of processed packaged foods displaying NS available in PTmk was collected in 2026. A cross-sectional analysis evaluated foods against NPMv and EIPAS_Rv. Compliance proportions were calculated and agreement between NS and PTnc was assessed. Comparisons with results from 2021 were also performed.

Results

Among 814 products across 12 foods categories, the majority exceeded NPMv (>75%) and EIPAS_Rv (>90%), although 43.6% presented favourable NS classifications (A or B). Foods classified as NS C-E were substantially more likely to exceed PTnc. However, many products with NS A or B also exceeded NPMv (57.7% or 52.1%, depending on the thresholds applied to plant-based imitates for meals) and EIPAS_Rv (85.1%). Compared with 2021, limited improvement in the nutritional quality and increased alignment between NS and PTnc was observed.

Conclusions

NS classifications showed partial alignment with PTnc, particularly for identifying less healthy products. The high proportion of foods exceeding PTnc, including those with favourable NS, highlights limitations of relying solely on NS to guide healthier food choices and reinforces the need for stronger policy measures and food reformulation.

Key messages

• Many foods with favourable Nutri-Score classifications (A or B) exceeded nutrient thresholds used to regulate food advertising to children and other policy-based criteria in Portugal.

• Nutri-Score may help guide healthier food choices but should be complemented by stronger food policies and reformulation measures to improve the quality of foods available in the Portuguese market.