Canada's new food labels hit stores in dribs and drabs

Monday, January 19, 2009

© Copyright AgMedia Inc

by SUSAN MANN

The new ‘Product of Canada/Made in Canada’ food labelling system won’t apply to all products currently on store shelves.

That’s because products manufactured and shipped to stores before Dec. 31, when the new system took effect, can use the previous labeling system, Food and Consumer Products of Canada says in a written statement.

“It will take some time before the stores go through their stock of these products,” writes the association, which represents Canada’s food and consumer products industry.
In addition, the guidelines are voluntary and some manufacturers may not use the statements.

The federal government announced the new food labelling guidelines in July, 2008 for products manufactured on or after Dec. 31.

Ontario Federation of Agriculture president Bette Jean Crews says while the Federation applauds the federal government for basing the new system on content, the current rules are so cumbersome they may not be used.

“Now if you have a can of peaches that says ‘Product of Canada,’ you know there’s Canadian peaches in there,” she says of the positive changes that have been made. But the details are not well-worded yet and the Federation is working with government to improve the program’s design.

“We are working and hoping for further changes,” she adds.

The ‘Product of Canada’ statement can be used on labels when all major ingredients and labour used to make the food come from Canada. The ‘Made in Canada’ statement can be used when the food product is manufactured or processed in Canada regardless of where the ingredients come from. The label would then state ‘Made in Canada’ from imported ingredients or from domestic and imported ingredients. BF