Italy is proposing the adoption of its NutrInform Battery system instead of traffic light systems that classify food on an A to E scale, based on their nutritional profile.
The move comes as the European Commission is set to decide on a unified nutritional labelling system for member states.
Federdistribuzione, Ancc-Coop and Ancd-Conad – representing Italy’s major retailers – champion the NutrInform Battery as a tool for informed and balanced dietary choices.
NutrInform Battery
Since 15 February, many retailers belonging to the three associations have been promoting the free NutrInform Battery app to millions of daily shoppers.
The app tracks daily nutritional intake by scanning food bar codes. Unlike traffic light systems (green for good and red for bad), it accounts for recommended portion sizes and the impact of combining different food items.
The system uses the mobile phone battery symbol to monitor the daily consumption of calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt.
It also shows the quantity of these elements contained in a portion of the food considered, as well as their contribution to the daily requirement, according to the reference values set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Italian government officials have highlighted the importance of the initiative, commending retailers for their responsibility and support.
‘Understanding Nutritional Content’
As Italy’s Health Minister, Orazio Schillaci, pointed out, “Reading product bar codes with your smartphone allows understanding nutritional content and contributes to nutritional education, especially for younger generations.”
The Minister of Food Sovereignty and Forestry, Francesco Lollobrigida, added, “We must defend our national agri-food system and fight unfair competition from misleading labelling systems.”
For the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, “This collective effort is vital to ensure consumer information and combat unfair practices.”
Federdistribuzione, Ancc-Coop and Ancd-Conad noted, ‘We aim to safeguard our food excellence and accurate information for consumer choices. We will promote this innovative, digitalised tool based on existing product codes, empowering conscious food consumption.’
