Can a product be Nutri-Score A and NOVA Group 4?

Yes, routinely. A diet cola sweetened with aspartame has almost no calories, sugar, salt, or saturated fat, so it scores Nutri-Score B or A. But its ingredient list contains cosmetic additives (colour, flavour, non-sugar sweetener), so it is NOVA Group 4. The two systems are measuring different things.

Which system is used on European supermarket labels?

Nutri-Score, in the countries that have adopted it as a voluntary front-of-pack scheme (France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland). NOVA is used in dietary-guideline documents (Brazil, France, Uruguay, Peru) and in research, not on packs.

Which one does NakedCalorie use?

Primarily NOVA, because the app's central question is 'what has been done to this food?' — which is what the ingredient list answers. We surface the nutrient panel separately, so a user can see the Nutri-Score-style trade-off (calories, fat, sugar, salt) without conflating it with processing intensity.

Do the two systems disagree often?

The 2022 EPIC study analysed 501,000 European adults and found NOVA and Nutri-Score both predicted mortality, but with only moderate correlation between the two classifications at product level. Diet drinks, reformulated 'better-for-you' snacks, and fortified breakfast cereals are the biggest zones of disagreement.

NOVA vs Nutri-Score — what each one measures

NOVA and Nutri-Score answer different questions. NOVA measures how industrially a food has been reformulated (from Group 1 unprocessed to Group 4 ultra-processed). Nutri-Score measures the nutrient balance of the finished product (from A to E, based on energy, saturated fat, sugar, salt, fibre, protein, and fruit/veg content). A product can be Nutri-Score A and NOVA Group 4 at the same time.

Two front-of-pack labels side by side on a supermarket shelf.

What each system measures

NOVA classifies by processing. Nutri-Score classifies by nutrients. Both come from public-health researchers, both are used in European policy, and both correlate with health outcomes in cohort studies — but they answer different questions and often disagree on the same product.

	NOVA	Nutri-Score
Origin	Prof. Carlos Monteiro, University of São Paulo (2009)	Prof. Serge Hercberg, French Public Health Agency (2017)
Inputs	Ingredient list	Nutrient panel per 100 g/mL
Output	Group 1 to Group 4	Letter A (best) to E (worst)
Used on packs	No — dietary guidelines only	Yes — voluntary front-of-pack in 7+ EU countries

Where they agree

For the extremes of the food supply, the two systems align:

Fresh fruit and vegetables: Group 1 / Nutri-Score A.
Sugary sodas and confectionery: Group 4 / Nutri-Score D or E.
Plain wholemeal bread, plain yoghurt: Group 3 / Nutri-Score A or B.
Processed meats: Group 4 / Nutri-Score D or E.

Where they disagree

Disagreement clusters in the middle of the shelf, where product reformulation is the whole point:

Diet drinks. Group 4 (non-sugar sweeteners) vs Nutri-Score B (low calorie, low sugar).
Protein bars and shakes. Group 4 (isolates, gums, sweeteners) vs Nutri-Score A or B (high protein, high fibre).
Fortified breakfast cereals. Group 4 (added vitamins, industrial reformulation) vs Nutri-Score A or B (high fibre, low fat).
"Better-for-you" snacks. Group 4 (baked with maltodextrin, sunflower lecithin) vs Nutri-Score B (low saturated fat).
Olive oil and butter. Group 2 or 3 vs Nutri-Score C or D (high energy density).

What the evidence says about each

Both systems are validated against health outcomes in large European cohorts:

NutriNet-Santé (Srour et al., BMJ 2019) — 10% higher ultra-processed intake associated with 12% higher overall cancer risk.
Moli-sani (Bonaccio et al., 2022) — Nutri-Score D/E predicted cardiovascular mortality over 12 years.
EPIC (Deschasaux-Tanguy et al., Lancet Regional Health Europe 2023) — both classifications independently predicted mortality, with modest overlap.

Why NakedCalorie leads with NOVA

Nutrient panels are already visible on every pack; a shopper does not need another app to see calories or sugar. The ingredient list is where information is hidden — inside additive codes, isolate names, and industry jargon. NOVA is the framework that unlocks that list. See how to spot Group 4 at a glance for the practical decision rule, and criticisms of NOVA for the honest counterweight.

Frequently asked questions

Can a product be Nutri-Score A and NOVA Group 4?: Yes, routinely. A diet cola sweetened with aspartame has almost no calories, sugar, salt, or saturated fat, so it scores Nutri-Score B or A. But its ingredient list contains cosmetic additives (colour, flavour, non-sugar sweetener), so it is NOVA Group 4. The two systems are measuring different things.
Which system is used on European supermarket labels?: Nutri-Score, in the countries that have adopted it as a voluntary front-of-pack scheme (France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland). NOVA is used in dietary-guideline documents (Brazil, France, Uruguay, Peru) and in research, not on packs.
Which one does NakedCalorie use?: Primarily NOVA, because the app's central question is 'what has been done to this food?' — which is what the ingredient list answers. We surface the nutrient panel separately, so a user can see the Nutri-Score-style trade-off (calories, fat, sugar, salt) without conflating it with processing intensity.
Do the two systems disagree often?: The 2022 EPIC study analysed 501,000 European adults and found NOVA and Nutri-Score both predicted mortality, but with only moderate correlation between the two classifications at product level. Diet drinks, reformulated 'better-for-you' snacks, and fortified breakfast cereals are the biggest zones of disagreement.

Written by NakedCalorie editorial team.

Medically reviewed by Pending registered dietitian review — last reviewed July 15, 2026.

Educational information only, based on peer-reviewed literature and regulatory sources. Not medical advice.