Guidelines Defining Product of Canada and Made in Canada on food labels and advertising

Canada's food supply is increasingly global in nature and many Canadians are seeking clearer information about the foods they buy. Canadians want credible, meaningful information about the foods they buy. Many want to purchase food products that are made and processed using Canadian standards, which they trust with good reason. Some simply want assurance that a significant amount of the product contains Canadian ingredients.

On July 15, 2008 the Government of Canada announced the new labelling guidelines for the use of these claims. The revised guidelines will help Canadians make informed choices about the products they are purchasing. They were developed to reflect consumer and industry expectations about what constitutes a Canadian product and to promote compliance with subsection 5(1) of the Food and Drugs Act and subsection 7(1) of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act.

Product of Canada

Under the guidelines when the label claim Product of Canada is applied, all or virtually all of the significant ingredients, components, processing and labour used in the food product must be Canadian. Food products claiming Product of Canada must contain very little or no foreign content, with the exception of minor food additives, spices, vitamins, minerals and flavouring preparations.

Made in Canada

The Made in Canada claim may be used when the food product is manufactured or processed in Canada regardless of whether the ingredients are imported or domestic or a mix of both. However, this claim must always be qualified with either Made in Canada from domestic and imported ingredients or Made in Canada from imported ingredients. To use these qualified claims, the last substantial transformation of the product must have occurred in Canada. This recognizes the importance of value added by Canadian ingredients and processing.

Other Qualified Claims

Qualified claims for other food products that do not meet the Product of Canada and Made in Canada guidelines may continue to be used. In particular, Roasted in Canada, Packaged in Canada, Distilled in Canada, Processed in Canada, etc. could be used provided that they are not false or misleading. However, use of Product of Canada and the qualified Made in Canada claim is encouraged for those products that meet the guidelines in order to provide consistency and clarity for the consumer.

Enforcement and Compliance

The CFIA enforces the requirements of the Food and Drugs Act and the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act to protect consumers against product misrepresentation. Consumers expect labelling and advertising information, including claims, to be truthful and not misleading. The use of these claims on most food labels remains voluntary. However, when these claims are applied, they will be assessed based on the established criteria. When non-compliance is identified during inspections and when responding to complaints, appropriate corrective action will be taken.

The guidelines came into effect on December 31, 2008. It is recognized that many products produced or manufactured before this date may already be on store shelves. However, it is expected that all products produced after this date would comply with the guidelines.

Additional information on the Canadian Food Labelling Initiative can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's website and in the Guide to Food Labelling and Advertising. A number of Frequently Asked Questions, along with answers which provide further detail on the interpretation of these guidelines, have also been developed. Should you require further information or have questions regarding these guidelines, please call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342/TTY 1-800-465-7735.

Originally issued July 15, 2008 (Information Letter To Industry)