The so-called ‘battery label,’ NutrInform Battery is proposed by the Italian government as an alternative to the NutriScore system, which has since been implemented in France and Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany (1,2).
These systems provide consumers with summary information on the nutritional profiles, of prepackaged foods, as WHO has been recommending for ten years. (3) Hoping to turn the tide on the pandemic of chronicNon-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) that result from unbalanced diets.
However, the Italian interministerial decree and the website dedicated to NutrInform Battery raise serious doubts, an understatement, about collusion between the government and junk food lobbyists. To the detriment, ça va sans dir, of public health. An Italian disgrace.
NutrInform, Disinform
NutrInform
is an ideal tool for misinforming consumers about the nutritional properties of food products:
– the charged battery is a universal symbol of physical and mental energy, health. Instead, NutrInform uses the charged battery symbol to express excesses in Kcal, fat and saturated fat, sugar, salt. The exact opposite. So that junk foods, which dominate the food supply aimed at minors throughout Europe, can brandish a charged battery (instead of a code or red light),
– the homogeneous color of battery labeling, devoid of any immediately understandable color code (e.g., red-yellow-green), is an invitation to non-reading. The average consumer, already plagued by too much information on labels, is discouraged from reading more. All the more so when associated with symbols alien to food, such as batteries, which at first glance appear to express data on the environmental impact (e.g., energy footprint) of production,
– comparison of various products on the shelf, referring to battery charge levels, is materially impossible. As opposed to Nutriscore, whose colors allow a parent, for example, to choose a 100% orange juice instead of a soft drink with added sugars. Scientific studies in fact demonstrate the educational role as well as the effectiveness of the NutriScore.
The image released by Mipaaf on Twitter
NutrInform, who needs it?
The false rhetoric against nutritional profiling has been carried on for years by big Italian industry, which the Ferrero group commands at baton. As seen most recently in the ridiculous campaign to denigrate homemade cakes, to ‘recommend’ industrial snacks instead.
Ferrero is remembered for the ruthless battle against food nutrient profiles, the success of which is demonstrated by the 12-year delay in their adoption by the European Commission. A battle also waged against the World Health Organization, as noted. (4)
Profit Over People (POP)
A battery laden with calories, fat and excess sugar or salt is thus the symbol of this great POP success. And it is curious, so to speak, that the vice president of Federalimentare with responsibility for ‘nutrition, consumer information and food education‘ is neither a physician nor a nutrition biologist. But rather the head of institutional affairs – that is, lobbying – of the Ferrero group, Paolo Mascarino.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus has reached a pandemic level, even in Italy. Its prevalence in young people aged 20-30 has doubled in the last 10 years in the beautiful country. (5) Obesity and overweight now affect 1 in 3 Italian children and adolescents, according to thelatest Eurispes report. And cardiovascular disease-which in turn is associated with unhealthy diets, excess salt first and foremost-is still the leading cause of mortality.
NutrInform Battery, the website
The website Nutrinformbattery. co.uk is the portal dedicated to the disinformation campaign under consideration. An advertising showcase of the (dis)information system that the naive might as well attribute to a research institute. Like Crea, which is mandated by law to promote healthy eating and instead came up with a paltry piece of writing in support of the battery label. (6)
Outlaw is the portal, as it does not state the name or VAT number of its owner on the homepage. (7) But one only has to consult Whois.net to find that the domain belongs to Mr. Mauro di Rosa from Pino Torinese (TO). Co-founder of the Italian Brand Group, which provides advertising and public relations services to various industry groups including Ferrero Kinder and Barilla. (8) A story reminiscent of that of the ‘manga lobbyists‘ who were at the time castigated for their incredible advocacy of palm oil.
An Italian disgrace
The greatest shame is that of a government totally subservient to the greediest economic-financial power, which in the name of profit invades the lives of citizens-with advertising and promotional storms, as well as tools of covert persuasion-to poison them with HFSS(High in Fats, Sugar and Sodium) foods.
The Minister of Health should learn from his French Colleague and adhere to an educational nutrition information tool, such as the Nutri-Score precisely. (9) For the specific purpose of reducing the intake of junk food and thus promoting the reformulation of foods to improve their nutritional profile and help mitigate epidemic diseases associated with such consumption.
Interim conclusions
A veil cannot be drawn over those who-in industry as well as in agriculture-hold up the snot to the evil injuries. The battery-operated label, NutrInform Battery, is not a harmless toy; it is a sign of the overpowering of private interest over the public good. And on nutrition policies, as on environmental policies, the future of our children is at stake.
But You, whose side are you on?
Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) Gouvernement du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg, Ministère de la Protections des Consommateurs. Conference de presse, 12.02.2020.
(2) The Nutri-Score was also the subject of a European citizens’ initiative, but this was withdrawn due to a lack of adherence to the goals set. V. https://europa.eu/citizens-initiative/initiatives/details/2019/000008_it
(3) WHO. Nutrient profiling, https://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/profiling/en/. See Proceedings 63rd WHO General Assembly, 2010
(4) Dario Dongo. Nutrition and health, here’s how Big Food thwarts WHO. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 3.9.20,
https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/idee/nutrizione-e-salute-ecco-come-big-food-ostacola-l-oms
(5) Data presented at the ‘Panorama Diabetes’ congress in Riccione, Italy on 8-13.3.19. V. https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/salute-a-scuola-belle-parole-in-accordo-stato-regioni
(6) See Laws 258/63, 70/75, Leg. 454/99
(7) The duty to name the website owner is prescribed in Italy by Presidential Decree 633/1972 as amended, Article 35. Its omission is subject to an administrative penalty of €258.23 to €2,065.83 (Presidential Decree 472/97, Art. 11)
(8) V. Palazzoli. EY acquired Italia Brand Group: consulting focuses on advertising. Daily online. 10/16/17, https://www.dailyonline.it/it/2017/mercato-ey-acquisito-italia-brand-group-la-consulenza-punta-sulla-pubblicita-16-10-2017
(9) Nutri-Score: évolution de sa notoriété, sa perception et son impact sur les comportements d’achat déclarés entre 2018 et 2019, Ducrot Pauline, Nugier Angélique, Serry Anne-Juliette, Santé Publique France, 2019: https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/determinants-de-sante/nutrition-et-activite-physique/documents/enquetes-etudes/nutri-score-evolution-de-sa-notoriete-sa-perception-et-son-impact-sur-les-comportements-d-achat-declares-entre-2018-et-2019
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.