Verival disputes VKI porridge rating methodology

Austrian breakfast manufacturer Verival has publicly challenged the consumer organization Verein für Konsumenteninformation (VKI) over its recent "Etiketten:Check Porridge" assessment. Verival argues that the VKI’s rating gives 60 % of the overall score to label design (40 %) and a processing‑level metric (NOVA, 20 %), while only 40 % reflects the product’s composition and nutritional value.

Founder and CEO Wolfgang Fojtl said the criteria are subjective and hard to verify, questioning whether the VKI is overstepping its role. He highlighted that Verival’s strawberry‑chia porridge received a "very good" rating for its ingredients, a Nutri‑Score of A and a low NOVA classification, yet the overall verdict was "average" because the packaging was judged "unsatisfactory". By contrast, a competitor with a lower ingredient rating won the category thanks to a more readable label. Verival is calling for greater responsibility and transparency in product testing practices.