A Guide to Food Labeling in Canada

 

An Introduction to Food Labeling

Today’s shopping experience is extensively filled with bright colours, big pictures, and bold statements that can leave shoppers confused and unsatisfied. Food packaging is thoughtfully and meticulously designed to catch consumers’ eyes and convince them into purchasing their product. Frequently, companies use clever marketing tactics to mislead consumers into thinking that their product is healthier than it actually is, and, most of the time, it works. Unfortunately, many Canadians are unfamiliar with food labeling regulations in Canada, leaving them confused and misinformed when reading nutrition labels. This is why understanding labeling terms and knowing how to interpret nutrition information is so important.

 

Who is Responsible for Food Labeling in Canada?

In Canada, Health Canada is responsible for regulations regarding food, including marketing and labeling. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) also plays a key role in ensuring proper labeling by manufacturers. The specific regulations all distributors must comply with can be found in the Food and Drugs Act (FDA), Food and Drug Regulations (FDR), Safe Food for Canadians Act (SFCA), and Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR).

It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure their product packaging adheres to all regulations. Before a product hits the shelves, the CFIA reviews the product to ensure it follows regulations. The CFIA can also conduct inspections on products after they’ve been released to the market. Distributors are legally obligated to provide all information and documentation about a product upon request to the CFIA. If a product does not meet all standards and regulations, the distributor can be fined, penalized, products can be taken off shelves, and the product and/or its packaging must be changed.

 

Food Labeling Regulations in Canada

In Canada, there are two types of nutrition claims: nutrient content claims and health claims.

Nutrient content claims indicate the quantity of a specific nutrient in a food. These claims can help people find foods that are high in desired nutrients and low in undesired nutrients, based on individual needs. Some examples include statements such as “excellent source of fibre” or “low in sodium.” Claims that use words such as “free of,” “lower,” “more,”“no added”, and so on, are regulated and can only be used depending on strict quantities and concentrations of the nutrient or ingredient.

Health claims are used to communicate the potential health benefits of a food when incorporated into a healthy diet.

2 Types of Health Claims

There are two types of health claims: disease risk reduction claims and function claims.

Disease risk reduction claims state that a food may lower the  chances of developing a disease. Currently, very few disease risk reduction claims are approved by the CFIA. Function claims state what kind of effects a nutrient or food can have on normal body functions. An example of a function claim statement could be, “Vitamin C protects against free radicals.”

Therapeutic claims, however, are not acceptable for food labels. This is a type of claim stating that a product will have certain therapeutic benefits for disease. This includes claims that a product can help lower blood cholesterol, improve memory, balance hormone levels, etc.

It’s important to note that health benefits must typically be attributed to a nutrient or ingredient found in the food.

According to the CFIA’s Guide to Food Labeling and Advertising, a product is not allowed to advertise that it, itself, will have a specific health benefit. Instead, it must advertise a health benefit associated with one of its nutrients or ingredients. In order for a product to do so, it must at least be considered a “source” of that nutrient or ingredient.

Additionally, for a claim to be acceptable, it must be specific. Vague claims are not accepted by Health Canada and are considered misleading.

For example, describing a food as an “antioxidant is too vague and not acceptable. A more appropriate claim could be, “Selenium helps protect against oxidative stress”.

Health Canada has developed an extensive list of approved food claims. In order to use any claim, there is a specific set of criteria a product must meet. If a product seeks to use a claim that has not already been approved, the manufacturer must demonstrate scientific evidence to back up the claim.

Lastly, all terms must comply with their legal definition, if there is one.

 

Method of Production Claims

Method of production claims are statements about how the food was produced. All method of production claims must be accurate, truthful, and not misleading or deceptive. As with nutrition and health claims, method of production claims are also reviewed by the CFIA.

An example of a method of production term regulated by the CFIA is “homemade.” In order for a food to be considered “homemade” it cannot be produced in a commercial setting.

Homemade

The terms “homemade style,” “home-style,” or “like homemade” may be used to describe foods that include ingredients or mixes from commercial or private recipes, either in whole or in part. In advertising, these terms can be misleading if the product is depicted in a home setting, implying it is genuinely homemade. When a food is prepared to resemble “homemade” food, the term must be properly qualified (for example, “homemade style” canned baked beans, as distinct from truly “homemade” baked beans).

Natural

The CFIA also regulated the word “natural.” In order for a food to be considered natural, it cannot contain any artificial flavourings, added vitamins and minerals, or other food additives.

Additionally, the food cannot be significantly altered from its original physical or chemical state. Although it may seem like the term “natural” can be dependable with these regulations, many foods with this label can still be considered unhealthy.

Other labels

Other methods of production claims include terms such as “raised without antibiotics,” “free of pesticide residues,” or “grain-fed.”

However, not all terms are regulated in Canada. Many terms that you’ll find on your animal products such as, “grass-fed,” “cage-free,” “free-range,” “pasture-raised,” and more are not regulated by the CFIA and may not accurately reflect the living conditions of the animals. The best way to ensure that these terms are accurate is to look for a certification logo from a third-party organization such as Certified Humane or A Greener World. Without a certification logo, these terms do not guarantee anything.

What Does “Organic” Mean? And Does It Matter?

The term “organic” is heavily regulated in Canada and can only be used if a product has passed a thorough list of criteria regarding the production, processing, handling, disinfection, storing, and preparation of a product.

Organic foods are free of:

• Hydroponics
• Sewage sludge
• Synthetic fertilizers
• Synthetic pesticides
• Artificial colours, flavours and preservatives
• Irradiation

Foods must meet very strict regulations in order to be certified “organic”. Foods with 95% or more organic content can be labeled “organic”, and organic ingredients must be identified.

Statements such as “97% organic ingredients” are also allowed.

However, the phrase “100% Organic” is prohibited. Foods with 70-95% organic ingredients can use the label “X% organic ingredients” or “contains X% organic ingredients” and organic ingredients must be identified. If a food has less than 70% organic content, the label may identify which ingredients are organic in the ingredient list only.

It’s also important for consumers to note that the Canadian Organic logo is voluntary, so foods without the logo can still be considered organic. If a product uses the term “organic” on its packaging, it should meet all criteria to use the term.

Although it is widely believed that organic food is healthier, there is no concrete evidence to support this. Additionally, science has shown that organic food is not more nutritious than conventional food. Most people argue that the benefits come from the lack of pesticide residues. It is well understood that pesticide and fertilizer residues should not be consumed by humans. However, the CFIA closely regulates and monitors levels of pesticide residue so that they remain at safe levels in all foods.

The Dirty Dozen

Many sources have come to the conclusion that investing in organic food may sometimes be beneficial. The Environmental Working Group published a list of the “Dirty Dozen,” the foods that are most likely to contain pesticide residues.

These include strawberries, spinach, kale, nectarines, apples, grapes, peaches, cherries, pears, tomatoes, celery, potatoes and hot peppers.

The Clean Fifteen

They also published a list of the “Clean Fifteen,” a list of foods that are least likely to contain pesticide residues. These include avocado, sweet corn, pineapple, onion, papaya, eggplant, frozen sweet peas, cauliflower, cantaloupe, asparagus, kiwi, cabbage, broccoli, mushrooms and honeydew melon.

Additionally, buying organic tends to matter less when you’re buying a food with a thick peel that you remove, like in citrus fruits. If you wish to reduce your risk of pesticide residue exposure, buying organic for select ingredients may help.

It’s important for consumers to understand that even if you don’t buy organic, it’s still a good idea to try to incorporate as many fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet as possible.

Overall, organic foods are less processed, have fewer additives and are chemical free, so it’s unlikely that they will contain harmful ingredients. However, just because a food is organic, doesn’t make it the best or right choice for your nutritional needs. The best way to make a healthy food choice is by reading the nutrition labeling, whether it be an organic or conventional food product.

 

How to Avoid Misleading Claims and Labeling

One of the best ways to avoid getting misled by food labels and claims is by making sure they are specific. Vague terms such as “nutritional,” “smart-choice,” or “healthy” are not defined or regulated by the CFIA and virtually carry no meaning.

Consumers should also look for meaningful statements that make sense and are backed up by science. If a product makes a health claim regarding a nutrient, that product should at least be a “source” of that nutrient. In order to be considered a “source” of a nutrient, the product must contain at least 5% of its recommended daily value.

Consumers should avoid falling for alarmist claims, too. These are claims that invoke alarm and urgency in a consumer. These kinds of statements can suggest that a product is crucial for health, that foods are good or bad, or that competitor products are bad or contain harmful ingredients.

The Health Halo Effect

The health halo effect is a term used to describe a cognitive bias by which a company will try to use a single positive attribute to convince consumers that a product is healthy, even if the product has many negative attributes.

For example, companies will slap terms such as “organic,” “gluten-free,” or “low-fat” in large fonts on the front of the package to try to mask all the downsides of their product. In reality, these foods are often not as healthy as they are made out to seem. Foods with these kinds of claims can still be high in sugar, sodium, and saturated fats.

Additionally, these companies will often try to convince you of health benefits that may not actually exist. For example, the term “gluten-free” may lead one to believe that the product is healthier. However, buying gluten-free is unnecessary and provides no benefits unless you struggle with Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity.

Another example, discussed by Dr. Rhonda Bell in a Global News article, discusses how some beverages have claimed to have “added vitamin E” as a marketing tactic. According to Dr. Bell, Vitamin E deficiency is rare outside of clinical conditions, yet many drinks market it unnecessarily-often in doses too low to matter or high enough to exceed safe limits.

This demonstrates the importance of reading the small text in the back of the packaging, including the nutritional facts table and ingredients list. Although flashy claims on packaging may be true, they don’t guarantee that the food will be healthy or beneficial to you.

 

How to Read Food Labels

All food labels and packaging are required to contain certain information about the product including:

• Common name (name by which the food is known, or a name that describes the food)
• Net quantity of the product
• Nutrition Facts Table
• List of ingredients (from most to least abundant)
• Allergen and precautionary statements
• Date of packaging and Best Before date
• Cooking and storage instructions

Additionally, from January 1st 2026 products will be required to add a Front of Package Nutrition Symbol if the product is high in one or more of sugar, sodium or saturated fats.

When reading an ingredients list, remember that ingredients are listed from highest to lowest quantity in a food. This tells you relatively how much of each ingredient is found in the food and can help you make better food choices. For example, if you’re buying granola bars, the first ingredient should be a grain, not a sugar.

When reading a nutrition facts table, % daily value (% DV) indicates what portion of the recommended daily intake you are consuming of a nutrient from 1 serving of food. Typically, a % DV of 5% and lower is considered little, and a % DV of 15-20 % or higher is considered a lot.

Consumers should aim to select foods that are high in beneficial nutrients and low in sugar, sodium and saturated fat.

It’s also important to take into account the serving size when reading a nutrition facts table. Oftentimes, manufacturers will intentionally set nutritional facts tables to low serving sizes to make it seem like the product has less sodium, sugar and trans fat than it actually contains.

Lastly, % DV is based on a 2000 calorie/day diet, but you can adjust it to your own caloric needs.

 

Food Labeling in Canada: Final Thoughts

These days, grocery shopping can be confusing and leave shoppers frustrated and deceived.

It’s essential that Health Canada continues to develop and update food regulations to keep up with manufacturers. Similarly, it’s important that manufacturers follow all regulations and be held accountable when they fail to do so. Improper package labeling can not only worsen public health, but also lead to a loss of customer trust.

Lastly, consumers shouldn’t rely solely on a product’s packaging or flashy claims to make a decision on whether a food will be good for them or not. Now, more than ever, it’s essential to understand how to read food labels and spot misleading marketing, to make informed choices and maintain a balanced life.