What the Nutri-Score A–E grade means
Nutri-Score is a front-of-pack nutrition label developed by public-health researchers and used across several European countries. It sums up a packaged food's overall nutritional composition as a single letter, A to E, so you can compare products at a glance without reading a full nutrition table. The scheme is maintained by Santé publique France ↗ on behalf of the countries that have adopted it.
How the score is calculated
Nutri-Score works on points per 100 g or 100 ml of the product as sold. Components linked to a less favourable nutritional profile add points; components linked to a more favourable one subtract them. The running total is then mapped to a letter, from A (lowest point total) to E (highest).
| Counts against the score | Counts for the score |
|---|---|
| Energy (calories) | Fibre |
| Sugars | Protein |
| Saturated fatty acids | Fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts and certain oils |
| Salt | — |
Simplified for readability. The full point tables, including per-category variants for cheeses, beverages and fats, are published by Santé publique France ↗.
The 2023 algorithm update
The scientific committee that maintains Nutri-Score revised the underlying algorithm in 2023, tightening the treatment of sugary drinks, salt and foods high in components of concern while giving more credit to fibre, protein and oily fish. The change was designed to better separate products within categories that the earlier version scored too similarly. Details are in the committee's own announcement: "The Nutri-Score calculation algorithm is evolving to promote healthier food choices" ↗.
What Nutri-Score does not measure
Nutri-Score is a nutrient-based score, not a full picture of a product. It does not measure:
- Processing level. A food can be minimally processed or heavily industrial and still land on the same letter — that's what the NOVA groups describe. See NOVA processing groups, explained.
- Additives. Sweeteners, colours, emulsifiers and preservatives don't feed into the point total.
- Allergens. The grade says nothing about what a product contains or is made in a facility with. See the 14 regulated allergens.
- Portion size. The score is calculated per 100 g or 100 ml, not per serving or per pack.
Why two products with the same grade can differ
A single letter can hide different trade-offs. One C-grade product might be high in salt but low in sugar; another C-grade product might be the reverse. Nutri-Score nets these components against each other, so it's a useful starting comparison, not a diagnosis of any one nutrient. If a specific nutrient matters to you — sodium for blood pressure, sugar for a low-sugar diet — the ingredient and nutrition breakdown underneath the grade is where that detail lives. For the exact figures, check the label on the pack itself.
How Prova uses this
Prova shows the Nutri-Score grade on every result where the source data includes it, next to the NOVA processing group. Prova displays the grade as published by the data source; it does not recalculate or adjust it.
You can also flag nutrition-related preferences — such as avoiding high-sugar or high-salt products — in your personal profile, and matching results are called out when you look up a product.
When a barcode has no match, photographing the label lets Prova read the nutrition table directly and show the same grade and breakdown. Full detail on how grading works, including additive flags and alternatives, is on the support page.
See a grade for yourself.
Get Prova — free barcode scanning, no ads, no accountProva is an information tool, not medical or dietary advice — always check the physical label, especially if you have an allergy.