NutriScore from A to E is a simple sign on the pack that's meant to help you size up a product quickly without poring over the whole nutrition table. You see a letter and a colour and you can compare two similar products on the shelf. It isn't a final verdict on a food — it's a shortcut that's supposed to make picking easier.
If you want to understand how to read NutriScore, treat it as a first filter. The NutriScore colour shows the overall direction of the rating, but only the ingredients, the portion and the wider diet really tell you about the product. That's why a NutriScore label can be useful, but shouldn't work in isolation from the rest of the information.
What NutriScore is
NutriScore is a food-labelling system that uses a scale from A to E and colours from green to red. You'll see it on some grocery products, especially where the producer wants to make it easier to compare similar items. It was created to give shoppers a quick signal without forcing them to analyse the full table on the pack.
The most important thing is that NutriScore doesn't tell you everything. It shows a simplified rating in a specific frame, but it doesn't rate your whole diet or the way you eat. So treat it as a handy shortcut, not the only reason to buy.
What a NutriScore label looks like
A NutriScore label shows five letters: A, B, C, D and E. Next to them is a colour scale — from dark green at A to red at E. That's meant to make it easy to compare products even when you're standing at the shelf and don't want to spend long studying the ingredients.
In practice you see a simple graphic block on the pack. One letter is highlighted as the product's current rating. So you don't have to remember complicated rules — you immediately see where the item sits on the scale.
What this system is for
NutriScore is mainly there to compare products in a similar category. If you're looking at two yogurts, two breakfast cereals or two sauces, the system gives you a quick signal as to which one comes out more favourably in this simplified model.
It isn't a rating of your whole menu. A product with a better letter doesn't automatically become "perfect", and a worse letter doesn't mean it has no place in the kitchen. NutriScore matters mostly when you want to narrow the choice quickly.
How NutriScore works
The logic of NutriScore is based on points awarded for features that are favourable or unfavourable for the product's nutritional profile. The system looks at nutritional content for a standardised amount and uses that to assign the letter. So you can compare two similar products even when their pack portions are different.
That's why NutriScore works as a shortcut. It doesn't compute the entire story of a product — only selected parameters. Convenient for the shopper, but it does require understanding what the system actually takes into account.
What NutriScore rewards
NutriScore rewards features that come out favourably in its model: more fibre, the presence of vegetables and fruit in some products, and a better fat profile. In simple terms, a product with more elements supporting a balanced composition gets a better score.
Wholegrain cereals, for example, can come out better than sweet breakfast versions. A plain yogurt can score better than a milk dessert with lots of additives. Not because one product is "good" and the other "bad", but because their nutritional profiles differ on several important points.
What lowers the rating
The rating usually drops when there's a lot of sugar, salt, saturated fat and energy as scored by the algorithm. The more of these, the harder it is to get a higher letter. So sugary drinks, some sweets, snacks and ready meals often score lower.
Worth seeing this practically. If two sauces serve the same purpose but one has more salt and fat, NutriScore can push it down. It isn't a rating of taste or brand quality — just a shortcut for comparing the product's profile.
Rated per 100 g or per portion
NutriScore compares products against a standardised amount, usually per 100 g or 100 ml. That matters because in the shop you don't always eat the whole pack at once, but the system applies the same measure to everything. That makes comparing brands fairer.
For you that means one thing: a product with a good letter doesn't always have a good "plate" rating if you eat it in large amounts. So alongside the NutriScore it's worth looking at the portion you actually have.
What letters A, B, C, D and E mean
The letters on a NutriScore label show where the product sits on the scale from a more favourable to a less favourable nutritional profile. A is at one end, E at the other. Between them are intermediate ratings that also tell you a lot if you read them in the context of the product category.
This is where it's easy to over-read. A good letter doesn't make a product perfect, and a weaker letter doesn't strike it off automatically. What matters is comparison within the group, not feelings about the colour itself.
NutriScore A
NutriScore A usually means the product comes out best in its category according to the algorithm. That can be a plain yogurt, cereals with a better composition or a low-sugar drink. The green NutriScore colour is just meant to suggest a more favourable profile.
That doesn't mean a product with A is "the healthiest in the world". If something is rated A, you should still check the ingredients and the portion. You can have a product rated highly by the system but completely unsuited to your goal or menu.
NutriScore B and C
B and C are intermediate ratings. Products that aren't extremely good or extremely poor in the NutriScore model often land here. In practice that means they have features that are both favourable and less favourable.
These letters often appear on "everyday" products. That can be bread, dairy, cereals or ready meals with an average profile. NutriScore here mainly works as a hint that it's worth comparing several options rather than drawing conclusions from the letter alone.
NutriScore D and E
D and E mean a less favourable nutritional profile compared with other products in the same group. Often that's down to more sugar, salt, saturated fat or energy. This labelling doesn't say the product is forbidden — just that it scores lower in this model.
Worth reading without drama. If you're choosing between two snacks, a D or E can help you understand why one is less favourable than the other. It's still a shortcut, not a verdict on your whole diet.
A vs E on simple examples
Picture two breakfast cereals from a UK shop. One has less sugar, more fibre and a simpler profile — it could score A or B. The other is sweetened, more processed and could land closer to D or E. On the shelf they look similar, but NutriScore from A to E shows the difference at a glance.
Another example is plain yogurt and a milk dessert. One can be A or B, the other C, D or E. For you that's a quick signal that the products are only similar by appearance. In practice, their composition and nutritional profile can differ a lot.
NutriScore compares products, not your whole diet
This is the most important thing that's easy to forget. NutriScore works best when you compare products in the same category. It isn't there to rate your whole way of eating or to split shopping into "good" and "bad".
If you use it as one of several tools, it makes sense. If you treat it as the only criterion, it's easy to draw the wrong conclusions.
Why comparing within the same category matters
NutriScore mostly counts when you put similar products next to each other. Yogurt with yogurt, cereals with cereals, sauce with sauce. That's when the scale really helps you pick a better option from a few that are close.
Comparing completely different products doesn't give the same effect. You read olive oil one way, sweets another, ready meals another. So the category context matters more than the letter on its own.
An A on the label doesn't mean "eat without limit"
Even a NutriScore A product is just one element of your diet. It can have a favourable profile, but you still need to look at the portion and the menu as a whole. If you eat it much more often than planned, the letter won't sort that out.
That's a good shopping rule: NutriScore helps you choose better but doesn't replace moderation. A product with A can be better than a product with E and still not be something you want to eat without thought.
Products that may surprise you with their NutriScore
Some products feel "healthy" intuitively but get a lower letter. Others get a surprisingly good rating even though their composition isn't necessarily ideal. That comes from algorithm simplifications — it looks at selected parameters rather than the full nutritional context.
So it's worth knowing a few typical surprises. It makes shopping easier and reduces the risk of treating a rating as a mistake just because it doesn't match your first impression.
Olive oil and other fats
Olive oil, oils and other fats can score lower because the system reads energy and the fat profile in a simplified way. For many people that sounds odd, since this kind of product has its place in cooking and isn't a random extra. Even so, NutriScore can show a lower letter.
A good example that the NutriScore colour doesn't replace thinking about a product's role. Cooking fat isn't the same as a sugary drink. Use, amount and the context of the whole diet matter.
Cheeses, nuts and nutrient-dense products
Cheeses and nuts can also surprise. They have a lot of valuable components but are also energy-dense or contain more fat. In a simplified system that can lower their score, even though in practice they're a valuable part of the menu.
It's not a contradiction — just the effect of NutriScore not capturing the full complexity of food. If you see a lower letter on a product you'd normally consider sensible, check the composition and the portion rather than reacting on autopilot.
Processed products with a "good" letter
The reverse can also happen. A product has a good letter, but once you read the ingredients you see additives, sweeteners or other elements that don't quite fit your plans. A nice NutriScore colour doesn't excuse you from reading the label.
That's why it's worth treating this system as a first step, not the last. NutriScore can suggest a direction, but the decision is best closed off with the ingredients and the nutrition table.
NutriScore limitations worth remembering
NutriScore is useful, but it isn't a full product analysis. The algorithm simplifies reality so it can be quick and clear. That makes it easy to understand — and easy to over-read.
A simplification, not a full analysis
NutriScore doesn't replace knowledge of the ingredients, the nutrition table and your own needs. It shows a shortcut, but a shortcut is never the whole picture. That matters especially for products you eat regularly.
If you only look at the letter, you can miss details that matter for your diet. The system is meant to support a choice, not think for you.
Natural vs processed products
The system itself doesn't decide whether something is "better" just because it sounds natural. Simpler products can have a weaker letter, and more processed ones can have a better one. That's down to the algorithm's logic, not an attempt to rate quality of life.
So it isn't worth building a whole decision on a single colour. Naturalness, simple composition and the role of a product still matter.
Ingredients, nutrition table and portion
You get the fullest picture when you combine NutriScore with the label, the nutrition table and the portion. Only then do you see whether the product fits the way you eat. The letter alone won't tell you how much you actually eat or how often. The simplest rule: NutriScore as a shortcut, the label for the detail. Together they work better than each on its own.
How to use NutriScore when shopping
The best way to use NutriScore is as a quick filter at the shop shelf. First the letter, then the ingredients, then the decision. That saves time and stops you getting lost in too many packs.
A quick shortcut at the shelf
If you compare two similar products, the letter gives you a quick reference point. Especially handy at Tesco, Lidl or the corner shop, when you don't have time to analyse everything in turn. A single glance helps narrow the choice — it doesn't pick for you, but it shortens the path to a decision.
Check the ingredients before deciding
After the letter, it's always worth a glance at the ingredients. That's where you'll see whether the product really matches what you're after. You can have two items with similar ratings but completely different additives, sweeteners or proportions. A particularly important habit for processed products — the colour is convenient, but the ingredient list gives you more information.
Compare products within the same category
That's the safest way to use NutriScore. Yogurt with yogurt, cheese with cheese, cereals with cereals, sauce with sauce. That's when the scale really helps you see differences between products. If you compare things from different aisles, the result loses meaning.
Is NutriScore mandatory in the UK
NutriScore doesn't have to appear on every product in the UK. You can spot it on some packs, especially where the producer chose to use the system as extra information for shoppers. So it isn't a mandatory label in the same sense as the ingredient list or the nutrition table.
The practical takeaway is simple: if you see NutriScore, use it. If not, you fall back on the regular label. The system is a help, not the only source.
Where you can spot it
You'll most often see it on packaged products that show a clear nutritional profile. That can be dairy, cereals, ready meals, drinks or snacks. It depends on the producer and the market.
How to handle it on UK products
On UK products treat NutriScore as additional information. It helps you compare a few options quickly, but doesn't replace reading the label. If you want to shop more sensibly, the best approach is to combine the letter with a quick look at the ingredients — no pressure, no over-reading, just more control over your choice.
How FitHamAI helps you interpret NutriScore
FitHamAI is an Android app (on Google Play) that helps you go from the letter to a real shopping decision. The app has its own label scanner that reads the ingredients, flags additives and checks the nutritional profile — including the NutriScore rating. Especially useful when NutriScore on its own isn't enough.
NutriScore as a quick filter
In FitHamAI the rating can be your first filter when picking a product. If you see a few options, the letter helps narrow the basket and the app lets you take it one step further. Example: two similar yogurts or two sauces. NutriScore points the direction, the app helps check which product fits your plan better.
Verifying ingredients, calories and 22 nutrients
The letter alone won't show you the full ingredient list or the energy context. In FitHamAI you can scan a label and see the ingredients, calories and 22 tracked nutrients (protein, carbs, fat, fibre, vitamins, minerals). If a product is rated A but contains additives you'd rather not eat often, you'll spot it straight away. If it's B or C but its composition is simple and practical for you, that's also easier to assess.
Plans and pricing
- Free — basic scanning, 22 nutrients in the diary
- PRO €2.99/month — full label scanner with NutriScore and additive analysis, AI coach. 7 days free.
- PRO+ €5.99/month — everything in PRO + 7-day meal plan, restaurant menu scanner, receipt scanner
Get FitHamAI on Google Play and try 7 days of PRO free — you'll check products in seconds, not just by NutriScore colour.