Impact of the Front-of-Pack Label Nutri-Score on the Nutritional Quality of Food Choices in a Quasi-Experimental Trial in Catering

Abstract

The front-of-pack labelling Nutri-Score has recently been implemented as a policy measure to improve the healthiness of food choices. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the Nutri-Score label in catering. A quasi-experimental trial was conducted in France between 16 December 2019 and 13 March 2020 in two staff restaurants (one intervention and one control site) from the same company. After a control period of seven weeks, the Nutri-Score label was affixed on all proposed products in the intervention site. Overall effects of the intervention were investigated using a difference in difference approach with generalised linear models. Over the 13 weeks of the study, 2063 participants who frequented the restaurant cafeteria at least once were included (1268 and 795 in the intervention and control site, respectively), representing 36,114 meals. Overall, the intervention led to a significant improvement in the nutritional quality of meals (p = 0.008) and a significant reduction in the intake of calories, sugars and saturated fat (p < 0.0001). Mixed effects models showed a qualitative improvement of food choices initially, and an adaptation of the quantities consumed over time, suggesting for the first time longer-term effects of the label on dietary behaviour.

Keywords: catering; dietary intake; front-of-pack labelling; quasi-experimental trial.

Figure 1

Flow chart of the inclusions in the analysis—Nutri-Score catering trial.

Figure 2

Observed and predicted dietary intakes over the study period for the intervention and control sites—Nutri-Score catering trial. (a) FSAm/HCSP score; (b) energy (Kcal/day); (c) saturated fats (g/day); (d) sugars (g/day); (e) salt (g/day); (f) proteins (g/day); (g) fibers (g/day).