Consultation on proposed front-of-package labelling
From Health Canada
Current status: Closed
You're invited to comment on our proposal for mandatory front-of-package nutrition symbols, for foods high in:
- saturated fat and/or
- sugars and/or
- sodium
How to participate
1. Take part in our quick and easy online Food Front-of-Package Nutrition Symbol Consultation to help us choose which symbol could be used on the front-of-packages
We are consulting on these four nutrition symbols.
Figure 1 - Long description
This figure shows the magnifying glass nutrition symbol design.
There is a white rectangular box outlined by a thin black rule.
Centered at the top of the box is the heading "High in" forward slash "Élevé en" in black, bold, mixed-case text.
Left justified under the heading is a large magnifying glass. The circular component of the magnifying glass is left justified and centered in the rectangle. It has a very thick black outline. The inside is white. The handle component of the magnifying glass is thick and black and extends from the edge of the circle to the bottom left corner of the rectangle. Three black bars extend out from the right side of the circular component of the magnifying glass with some white space between the circle edge and the start of each bar. There is a small amount of white space between the bars. The top bar contains the words "Sat fat" forward slash "Gras sat" in white, bold, mixed-case font. The middle bar contains the words "Sugars" forward slash "Sucres" in white, bold, mixed-case font. The bottom bar contains the word "Sodium" in white, bold, mixed-case font.
Centered below the circular component of the magnifying glass and the last bar are the words "Health Canada" forward slash "Santé Canada" in black mixed-case font.
Figure 2 - Long description
This figure shows the exclamation mark nutrition symbol design.
There is a white rectangular box outlined by a thin black rule.
Centered at the top of the box is the heading "High in" forward slash "Élevé en" in black, bold, mixed-case text.
Left justified under the heading is a large black, bold exclamation point within a white circle. Three black bars extend out from the right side of the circle. There is a small amount of white space between each black bar. The top black bar contains the words "Sat fat" forward slash "Gras sat" in white, bold, mixed-case font. The middle black bar contains the words "Sugars" forward slash "Sucres" in white, bold, mixed-case font. The bottom black bar contains the word "Sodium" in white, bold, mixed-case font.
Centered below the exclamation point and the last bar are the words "Health Canada" forward slash "Santé Canada" in black mixed-case font.
Figure 3 - Long description
This figure shows the red rectangle nutrition symbol design.
There is a rectangular box outlined by a thin black rule.
Inside is a red rectangle in the left third part of the symbol. Centered in this red rectangle are two lines of text in bold, white, mixed-case font. On the first line are the words "High in". On the second line are the words "Élevé en". Three black bars of the same size extend out from the right side of the red rectangle to the end of the rectangular box. Between the bars is a thin white line. A little red triangle extends from the red rectangle into each of the black bars. The top black bar contains the words "Sat fat" forward slash "Gras sat" in white, bold, mixed-case font. The middle black bar contains the words "Sugars" forward slash "Sucres" in white, bold, mixed-case font. The bottom black bar contains the word "Sodium" in white, bold, mixed-case font.
Below the red rectangle and the last black bar there is a thin white rectangle that spans the length of the rectangular box. Centered in this rectangle are the words "Health Canada" forward slash "Santé Canada" in black mixed-case font.
Figure 4 - Long description
This figure shows the black rectangle nutrition symbol design.
There is a rectangular box outlined by a thin black rule.
Inside is a black rectangle in the left third part of the symbol. Centered in this black rectangle are two lines of text in bold, white, mixed-case font. On the first line are the words "High in". On the second line are the words "Élevé en". Three white bars of the same size extend out from the right side of the black rectangle to the end of the rectangular box. Between the bars is a thin black line. A little black triangle extends from the black rectangle into each of the white bars. The top white bar contains the words "Sat fat" forward slash "Gras sat" in black, bold, mixed-case font. The middle white bar contains the words "Sugars" forward slash "Sucres" in black, bold, mixed-case font. The bottom white bar contains the word "Sodium" in black, bold, mixed-case font.
Below the black rectangle and the last white bar there is a thin white rectangle that spans the length of the rectangular box. Centered in this rectangle are the words "Health Canada" forward slash "Santé Canada" in black mixed-case font.
2. Provide your comments on
- Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations (Nutrition Symbols, Other Labelling Provisions, Partially Hydrogenated Oils and Vitamin D) in Part I of the Canada Gazette. Please note that the Canada Gazette is available online on Friday at 2 p.m. Eastern time, ahead of its publication on Saturday.
- Directory of Nutrition Symbol Formats
- Notice of Health Canada’s Proposal to Incorporate by Reference the Table of Permitted Nutrient Content Statements and Claims
You may wish to use the Summary of proposed amendments published in Canada Gazette, Part I: nutrition symbols, other labelling provisions, partially hydrogenated oils and vitamin D .
Why
Frequently eating foods high in saturated fat, sugars or sodium can lead to increased health risks. Some of these risks are:
- obesity
- heart disease
- high blood pressure
Mandatory front-of-package labelling for foods high in one or more of saturated fat, sugars and sodium could:
- give quick and easy guidance to help you make informed choices about packaged foods
- help improve the nutritional quality of packaged foods
- help health professionals educate consumers
Who
We're seeking input from all interested parties, including:
- consumers
- industry members and associated groups
- health professionals and associated groups
- non-government groups
- consumer associations
- academics and researchers
- all levels of government
What
We are seeking your input on:
- proposed regulations for front-of-package labelling for foods high in saturated fat, sugars and sodium
- proposed front-of-package nutrition symbols
Note: These symbols are not currently in the regulations proposed in the Canada Gazette, Part I consultation. However, the nutrition symbol chosen as a result of this online consultation process will be included in the final Regulation that will be published in Canada Gazette, Part II, and will therefore be inserted directly in the Food and Drug Regulations.
We are also seeking your input on other regulatory requirements related to nutrition such as:
- moving nutrition claims from the Food and Drug Regulations to a List Incorporated by Reference in the Regulations
- updating the conditions for some claims
- changing the labelling requirements for foods containing certain high-intensity sweeteners
- increasing the Vitamin D levels in milk and margarine
- making some changes to reflect the recent ban on partially hydrogenated fats and oils, the main source of industrially produced trans fats
Where and when
The consultations will be available online between February 10, 2018 and April 26, 2018.
Contact information
Please provide your comments by April 26 by:
- Email: LRM_MLR_consultations@hc-sc.gc.ca
- Mail:
Bruno Rodrigue
(Attention: Canada Gazette, Part I, February 10, 2018)
Policy, Planning and International Affairs Directorate
Health Products and Food Branch
Health Canada
Holland Cross, Tower A, Suite 14, Ground Floor
1600 Scott Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0K9
Address locator: 3000A
Next steps
We will share the results of the consultations later in 2018. Individual submissions may be released upon request under the Access to Information Act. More information about communicating with stakeholders and meetings and correspondence on healthy eating is available on ca-ciconline.com.
For more information
- Health Canada's healthy eating strategy
- Front-of-Package Nutrition Labelling: September 18, 2017 Stakeholder Engagement Meeting [2017-11-02]
- Notice of Modification: Prohibiting the Use of Partially Hydrogenated Oils (PHOs) in Foods [2017-09-15]
- Transparency of stakeholder communications for healthy eating initiatives
- Access to Information Act
- Meetings and correspondence on healthy eating
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