Estonian retailers split over Nutri-Score color labeling

Estonian retailers are divided over a possible government-backed introduction of the Nutri-Score traffic-light food labeling system. The Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture is currently assessing whether the system fits with national dietary guidelines and what economic impact it would have. Results are due in autumn, and any introduction would remain voluntary for producers.

Selver has come out against the move. Its manager Kristi Simonsen says Nutri-Score offers an oversimplified verdict and unfairly separates foods into good and bad. She argues that nutritional information already appears on every package, letting customers decide according to their own needs. Simonsen also notes that nearly two-thirds of Selver's shopping baskets contain Estonian-produced goods, which she sees as evidence of conscious consumer choices.

Rimi and Coop take a more cautious line. Rimi's head of purchasing Marta Palm says the chain supports measures that help shoppers make informed and healthy decisions, but any labeling scheme must be evidence-based, clear, and applied uniformly across the market. Coop's purchasing director Oliver Rist stresses that a system should genuinely improve public health and should not place local natural or traditional foods at an unfair disadvantage.

Lidl stands out because it has already been using Nutri-Score on its own-brand items for several years. Communications specialist Liisa-Indra Pajuste says the labeling does not classify products as good or bad but gives a simple comparative nutritional score per 100 grams or 100 milliliters. She notes that the scheme is already used in several European countries, such as Germany and France, and argues that producers, retailers, and policymakers should join forces to create a workable solution.

Food industry representatives, however, say the introduction in Estonia is not scientifically justified. While they agree consumers need reliable information, they argue the simplified traffic-light format ignores portion sizes, product origin, natural composition, and cultural role. The Union of Pediatricians, by contrast, says Nutri-Score is necessary: one in three children in Estonia is already overweight, and shoppers struggle to understand current package labels.