In order to better reflect the true origins of products in the marketplace, the Canadian government has announced an action plan which will require products to be labeled and advertised accurately and truthfully. The Canadian Food Labeling Initiative outlines new guidelines that better define “Product of Canada” and “Made in Canada” on food labels and advertising. The new proposed guidelines are:
- All major ingredients, processing and labor used to make a food product would need to be Canadian for it to be labeled “Product of Canada.” There would be very little or no foreign content, except for example, minor additives or spices that may not be sourced in Canada.
- The “Made in Canada” label would be used when the food product is manufactured or processed in Canada regardless of whether the ingredients are imported or domestic or both. Before “Made in Canada” could be use on a food product, the last substantial transformation of the product must have occurred in Canada and the claim would be qualified with either “Made in Canada from domestic and imported ingredients” or “Made in Canada from imported ingredients.”
Other statements or claims could be used (if they were truthful and not misleading for consumers) but the Government of Canada would encourage the use of “Product of Canada” and “Made in Canada” to ensure clarity for the consumer. For more information on this initiative, please go to healthycanadians.ca/pr-rp/dp-dt_e.html. (Source: FEMA)