On June 30, 2022, Health Canada announced new front-of-package nutrition labelling intended to help Canadiens to make healthy food choices more easily.

A front-of-package (FOP) nutrition symbol (see example below) will now be required on foods high in sodium, sugar, or saturated fat.

 

 

 

 

 

Foods requiring the FOP nutrition symbol include:

• Foods providing 15% or more of the Daily Value (%DV) for sodium, sugar, or saturated fat
• Foods with a small reference amount (≤ 30 g or ml) that meet or exceed 10% of the Daily Value (%DV) for sodium, sugar, or saturated fat
• Main dishes with a reference amount ≥ 200g* that meet or exceed 30% of the Daily Value (%DV) for sodium, sugar, or saturated fat.

Please note that there are some exceptions. Sweeteners, which include maple sugar and maple syrup (as well as maple butter as later clarified by Health Canada) are exempt from the requirement, as these products are composed entirely or almost entirely of sugars and are used by consumers to sweeten in varying amounts depending on the use, such as in coffee, tea, baked goods and toppings. In these cases, it was felt that a “High Sugar” nutrition symbol on these products would be redundant. However, following further clarification requested by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada regarding exemptions, Health Canada has indicated that maple taffy is not exempt from the front of package nutrition symbol requirement, as it is not used by consumers for sweetening purposes.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

The regulation takes effect as of July 20, 2022. The food industry has until January 1, 2026 to comply.

For more information, click on this link: Front-of-pakage nutrition labelling

 

Written by Isabelle Claveau, Labelling and Regulatory Consultant