Health Canada is improving food labels and prioritizing its nutrition initiatives. One goal is to help ensure that Canadian consumers have greater access to nutrition information they can use to identify healthier food choices.
Health Canada introduced new regulations for packaged foods in June 2022. The Front-of-Package (FOP) nutrition labelling regulation requires foods high in saturated fat, sugars, and/or sodium to display a symbol on the front of the package. This symbol, featuring a magnifying glass, will be a quick reference to help consumers make more informed dietary choices.
Food manufacturers and businesses can now use MenuSano to generate compliant front-of-package labels. Encouraged by Health Canada, the food industry can start adding these labels to their packages as soon as possible, and they have until January 1, 2026, to be compliant.
What is the new front-of-package FOP regulation?
As the name suggests, these labels will be on the front of the package. The new regulation requires foods high in saturated fats, sugars, and/or sodium to include a symbol on the front of the package.
Why is it happening?
A diet high in saturated fat, sugars, and sodium is a significant risk factor for obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Health Canada stated that the new labelling will help you quickly and easily identify such foods and make healthier decisions, as such food can lead to increased health risks. They proceeded to name the health risks associated with the frequent consumption of these foods. These risks are:
- Stroke
- Obesity
- Heart disease
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Some types of cancers
When will Front-of-Package labelling become mandatory?
The rule was enacted in July 2022; however, food businesses have until January 1, 2026, to be fully compliant. Health Canada encourages food manufacturers to add the required labelling as soon as possible.
Read more: Nutrition Labeling: Front-of-Package Nutrition Symbol
What foods will be impacted by the new FOP requirements?
Foods high in sodium, sugars, and saturated fats are now subject to new front-of-package nutrition labelling regulations. The new FOP requirements will also be mandatory for prepackaged foods that meet or exceed set sodium, sugar, or saturated fat levels.
- General prepackaged foods that meet or exceed 15% DV of saturated fat, sugars or sodium, for example, deli meats, soups, frozen desserts or puddings.
- Prepackaged foods with a small reference amount (≤ 30 g or mL) that meet or exceed 10% DV of saturated fat, sugars or sodium
- Since these foods are usually eaten in smaller quantities and are often rich in these nutrients, they have a lower threshold. Examples are pickles, salad dressing, cookies, and breakfast cereals.
- Prepackaged main dishes with a reference amount of ≥ 200 g* that meets or exceeds 30% DV of saturated fat, sugars or sodium
- Since foods consumed as a main dish are expected to contribute more significantly to your daily nutrient intake, they have a higher threshold—for example, frozen lasagna, meat pie or pizza.
- This value changes to 170 g for main dishes intended solely for children 1-4 years old.
What foods are exempted from the FOP requirements?
According to Health Canada, some foods do not need to display the new FOP symbol. These foods are:
- Raw, single ingredient whole cuts of meat, poultry and fish that do not carry a nutrition facts label.
- Very small-packaged foods
- Milk and cream sold in refillable glass containers
- Foods intended to be served by a restaurant or other commercial enterprise to accompany meals or snacks, for example, creamers served with a cup of coffee.
- Fruits and vegetables without added sodium, sugars, or saturated fat
- Plain milk, plain yogurt and cheese as they are important sources of calcium that are needed to promote bone health.
- 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, and seasoning salt.
What the front-of-package nutrition symbol looks like
The front-of-package nutrition symbol is black and white, featuring a magnifying glass indicating whether the food is high in sodium, sugars, saturated fat, or any combination. The words “Health Canada / Santé Canada” are displayed at the bottom of the symbol.
How the nutrition symbol should appear on the front of the package?
The nutrition symbol must consistently appear in the same format for easy recognition and use. It must adhere to specific guidelines regarding its:
- Size: The symbol’s size is proportionate to the package size, ensuring visibility on packages of all dimensions.
- Location: For most package shapes, the nutrition symbol will appear in the upper half of the label. It will appear on the right half of the package label if the label is wider than tall.
- Language: The symbol must be displayed in both official languages, English and French. It could be two separate symbols, one in English and one in French, or both languages on the same symbol.
Read more: The Importance of Accurate Allergen Labeling in the Food Industry
What does this mean for food businesses?
As mentioned, the food industry has until January 1, 2026, to make this change. Canada’s FOP labels can benefit food businesses by enhancing transparency and building consumer trust.
These labels provide clear, easily accessible information about key nutritional aspects, such as high sodium, sugars, and saturated fats, helping consumers make informed choices quickly.
By adopting FOP labels, food businesses can demonstrate their commitment to public health and compliance with regulatory standards, which can improve their brand reputation. Moreover, FOP labels can drive consumer preference towards healthier options, potentially increasing sales for products that meet health-conscious criteria.
This proactive approach aligns with evolving consumer demands and positions food businesses as leaders in promoting healthier eating habits.
The role of MenuSano
MenuSano has just rolled out front-of-package labels, and our clients and food manufacturers can use MenuSano to generate front-of-package labels. If you’re not a client already, you can start a free trial or schedule a free demo to see how you can quickly and easily generate FOP labels.
Accurate labelling of foods high in sodium, sugars, and saturated fats will positively impact the food industry by promoting healthier products. Using MenuSano allows businesses to ensure complete compliance with CFIA and Health Canada standards.
MenuSano is an intuitive software that helps food businesses analyze recipes, calculate nutritional facts, and produce precise nutritional labels that meet regulatory requirements, including FOP labels. It simplifies compliance processes and offers consumers clear, detailed information about the nutritional content of products with its extensive database.
