Transparency on our portfolio

Nestlé is the first company to use the Health Star Rating (HSR) system as the basis for transparently reporting nutritional values for our entire global portfolio.

HSR is a well-known nutrient profiling system used on front-of-pack nutrition labels in some countries and applied by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI). HSR rates products on the total energy, saturated fat, sodium and sugar content, which can lower the score, as well as the amount of fiber, protein, fruit, vegetables, nuts and legumes (such as lentils), which can increase the score.

The nutritional value of our entire global portfolio

We highlight the nutritional value of four different groups of products:

• Specialized nutrition products sold by our Nutrition and Nestlé Health Science (NHS) businesses, which are tailored to the nutrition needs of specific populations and for which the HSR system generally does not apply.
• HSR of 3.5 or above: While keeping or even improving the nutritional profile with positive nutrients such as whole grains and vegetables, we aim to position these products as good options for balanced diets.
• HSR of 1.5 to less than 3.5: Where we aim to improve the nutritional profile while providing portion guidance, recipes, tips and advice for balanced diets.
• HSR of less than 1.5: We aim to help people enjoy these products as occasional treats eaten in moderation, in the context of a balanced diet.

As PetCare is an important category for Nestlé, for additional transparency we report two sets of figures, one excluding PetCare sales within the Specialized nutrition category and one including PetCare sales. In 2023, 38% of net sales excluding PetCare came from products with a HSR of 3.5 or above and 21% from products for meeting specialized nutrition needs.

Reporting nutritional values at market level

Our markets around the world have worked for years to improve the nutritional value of our products. For 2023, we are reporting on the nutritional value of local portfolios in 13 countries, using the local, government-endorsed nutrient profiling system. The figures may evolve as nutrient profiling systems evolve, and as we continue work to improve our portfolio.

Each national and regional nutrient profiling system has distinct characteristics, with a different purpose and differences in the foods included, nutrient thresholds, and labels. Therefore, we report separately on each country as the figures for different countries cannot be compared. Details of each nutrient profiling system and how we applied it to our global and local portfolios are available in our Reporting Scope and Methodology for Nutritional Value Transparency Key Performance Indicators (pdf, 200Kb).

Some market-level figures have been rounded to achieve 100% for each country.

* Excludes products that are not foods or beverages for consumption, and some recent acquisitions.
** Health Star Ratings are calculated based on the recipe for each product and are not necessarily included on the product label.
*** Other: Products from our PetCare business, non-food items such as coffee machines, and food products not in scope for the local nutrient profiling system, such as pure coffee in some cases. For example, in France and Germany, pure black coffees represent 27% and 19% of net sales, respectively; they would be rated as Nutri-Score B by default but are exempted from Nutri-Score and thus reported within 'Other'. The detailed scope of assessed products in each country is available in our Reporting Scope and Methodology for Nutritional Value Transparency Key Performance Indicators (pdf, 200Kb)