Canada Adopts Front-of-Package Nutrition Labelling and Makes Additional Changes to Regulations

Oct. 21 2022

Summary
Effective January 1, 2026, food products sold in Canada that are high in one or more of sodium, sugars, or saturated fat will need to feature a front-of-package (FOP) nutrition symbol. The applicability of the front-of-package requirement is based on the amount of sodium, sugars, and saturated fat compared to the Percent Daily Value (% DV) threshold for the product type.

Health Canada made additional changes to the Food and Drug Regulations relating to nutrient content claims, high-intensity sweetener labelling, removing references to partially hydrogenated oils, adding information on fully hydrogenated oils, and increasing the amount of vitamin D required to be in certain dairy products.

Products Applicable to the Front-of-Package Labelling

Health Canada will require front-of-package labeling on the following foods:

• General prepackaged foods that meet or exceed 15% DV of saturated fat, sugars, or sodium
• Such foods could include deli meats, soups, frozen desserts, or puddings

• Prepackaged foods with a small reference amount (less than or equal to 30 g or mL) that meet or exceed 10% DV of saturated fat, sugars, or sodium
• Such foods could include pickles, salad dressing, cookies, or breakfast cereals

• Prepackaged main dishes with a reference amount of greater than or equal to 200 g* that meet or exceed 30% DV of saturated fat, sugars, or sodium
• Such foods could include frozen lasagna, meat pie, or pizza
*170 g for main dishes intended solely for children 1 to 4 years of age

Products Exempted from Front-of-Package Labelling

• Foods exempt for technical reasons, such as:
• Packaged individual portions that are only intended to be served by a restaurant or other commercial enterprise to accompany meals or snacks (for example, individually portioned crackers served with soup or creamers served with a cup of coffee)
• Milk and cream sold in refillable glass containers
• Foods in very small packages
• Raw, single ingredient whole cuts of meat, poultry, and fish that do not carry a nutrition facts table

• Foods with a protective effect on health, such as fruits and vegetables without added sodium, sugars, or saturated fat

• Certain dairy products, like plain milk, plain yogurt, and cheese because they are important sources of calcium that is needed to promote bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis

• Raw, single ingredient ground meats and poultry to avoid giving the impression that they are nutritionally inferior to whole cuts that do not carry a nutrition symbol

• Butter, sugar, salt, and other products used for the same purpose as butter, sugar, or salt, such as:
• Honey; Celery salt; Maple syrup; Vegetable oils; Seasoning salt

Note: Additional exemptions may apply, depending on the product

Front-of-Package Labelling Effective Date

The new rules are effective immediately, but front-of-package labeling is not required until January 1, 2026. Products imported, manufactured in Canada, or packaged at retail before January 1, 2026 can continue being sold. It is acceptable for products to be labeled with the front-of-pack symbol before the compliance date.

Front-of-package nutrition symbol labelling guide for industry:
https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/legislation-guidelines/guidance-documents/front-package-nutrition-symbol-labelling-industry.html

Additional Food Updates

At the same time Canada finalized the Front-of-Package labelling, they made some other food updates. Notably, removing the table of nutrient content claims following section B.01.513 and is incorporating it by reference into the Regulations as the Table of Permitted Nutrient Content Statements and Claims.

They also amended other nutrient content and health claims for the following products to align with the new front-of-package nutrition symbol requirements:
• Those on beverages with 0-0.5% alcohol [B.01.502(2)(j)];
• Those on foods intended solely for young children [B.01.502(2)(g), B.01.503(2), and B.01.601(1)(c)(i)];
• Sugars-related nutrient content claims, such as the "no added sugars" and "free of sugars" claims [Table of Permitted Nutrient Content Statements and Claims: Items 37, 37.1, and 40]; and
• Saturated and trans fat related nutrient content claims [Table of Permitted Nutrient Content Statements and Claims: Items 18 and 22].

Also, “Health Canada has repealed the following extra labelling requirements for foods containing aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame-potassium, and neotame:”
• “The statement on the PDP that a food contains one of these high-intensity sweeteners and any other sweeteners used in that food; and”
• “The quantitative declaration of the content of the high-intensity sweetener in a food (in mg per serving), found in the list of ingredients.”

Since partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) are currently banned (came into effect on September 17, 2018), Health Canada made the following revisions to the Food and Drug Regulations:
• Removed references to PHOs
• Added a definition for "fully hydrogenated"
• Replaced all references to "hydrogenated oils" with "fully hydrogenated oils"

Lastly, Health Canada has increased the amount of vitamin D required to be in cow's milk and margarine, and the amount permitted to be in goat's milk. “Under these new Regulations, this will be 2 µg/100 mL for milks and 26 µg/100 g for margarine. This is approximately twice the previous requirement.”

Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations (Nutrition Symbols, Other Labelling Provisions, Vitamin D and Hydrogenated Fats or Oils): SOR/2022-168
https://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2022/2022-07-20/html/sor-dors168-eng.html

How Does this Impact You? Contact Us to Discuss
If you have any questions, please contact your customer service representative or email: info@us.bureauveritas.com
22B-091

Download Regulatory Update

DOWNLOAD

Get in touchwith us

First name

Last name

company

Country / Territory

phone

Tell us about your enquiry

How can we help you?

Please tell us which product your enquiry relates to

Please tell us which service your enquiry relates to

Would you like to receive marketing communication from Bureau Veritas?

Yes

INFORMATION NOTICE TO DATA SUBJECTS
Your personal data are collected by Bureau Veritas Consumer Products Services Division (“BVCPS”), through its entity Bureau Veritas Hong Kong Limited (having its registered office at 1/F, Pacific Trade Centre, 2 Kai Hing Road, Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong), as well as the BVCPS affiliate(s) with which you had, have or will have a business relationship or that otherwise decide(s) which of your personal data is collected and how it is used.  A list of BVCPS affiliates is available at: BVCPS Locations (https://www.cps.bureauveritas.com/sites/g/files/zypfnx236/files/media/document/BVCPS%20Locations_20210611_for%20web.pdf)
Your personal data are subject to computer processing in order to respond to your requests and to provide you with additional information about BVCPS services, events or topics that may be of interest to you on the basis of your consent to the processing of your personal data for that purpose (by checking the box below).
Your personal data are intended for use by the relevant business departments of BVCPS and/or their service providers depending on the nature of your requests, as well as by BVCPS IT department.    Your personal data will be retained until the earlier of (a) one year after the last communication, or (b) your request to delete the personal data. 
Your personal data may be transferred outside the European Union, on the basis of your explicit consent, as the data subject, to the proposed transfer. By checking the box below, you are providing your explicit consent to the proposed transfer, with your acknowledgement of the possible risks of such transfer due to the absence of an adequacy decision pursuant to Article 45 of the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016 or of appropriate safeguards pursuant to Article 46 of the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016.
In accordance with the French Data Protection Act of 6 January 1978 as amended and the General Data Protection Regulation of 27 April 2016, you may have the right to access, rectify and erase any personal data concerning you, as well as the right to limit the processing, the right to oppose to the processing or the right to portability of your personal data. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by connecting to the site or application (https://personaldataprotection.bureauveritas.com). and unchecking the box dedicated to the collection of your consent. You also have the right to set out general and specific guidelines that define how you intend these rights to be exercised after your death. You can exercise your rights by e-mail at the following address: https://personaldataprotection.bureauveritas.com. Finally, you have a right to lodge a complaint to the Commission Nationale Informatique et Libertés (CNIL) or the relevant authorities in your country.
Fields marked with an asterisk must be filled in. Otherwise, BVCPS would not be able to respond to your requests and/or provide you with additional information.