Food labels in Canada: what goes on the package

What goes on a food label

In Canada, food labelling is set by the Food and Drug Regulations and the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) explains them in its Industry Labelling Tool. A label on prepackaged food for consumers carries:

• the common name of the food
• the net quantity, in metric units
• a list of ingredients, with food allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites declared
• a Nutrition Facts table, which most prepackaged foods need
• the name and principal place of business of the company responsible for the food
• a best before date, when the food keeps for 90 days or less
• Health Canada's High in symbol, when the food is high in saturated fat, sugars or sodium

Most of it appears in English and French. Specific foods, such as honey, maple products and dairy, have extra rules of their own, so check the CFIA's pages for your product.

The main panel

The principal display panel is the part of the label people see on the shelf. It carries the common name, the net quantity and, when it applies, the High in symbol.

• Common name. The name set by Canada's food standards if there is one, otherwise the name the food is generally known by, in both languages.
• Net quantity. Liquids by volume in mL or L, solids by weight in g or kg, and some foods by count. The symbols g, kg, mL and L work in both languages. Imperial units can be added after the metric amount.

The numbers of the net quantity are bold, and their minimum height depends on the size of the main panel:

Ingredients and allergens

Foods with more than one ingredient list them under the bold title "Ingredients", in descending order of proportion by weight, as weighed before they are combined. Components of an ingredient go in parentheses straight after it. Spices, herbs and seasonings that make up 2% or less of the food, flavours and most food additives can go at the end in any order.

Food allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites are declared in the ingredient list, in a "Contains" statement right after it, or both. A "Contains" statement lists every one of them, even if they are also in the list. The priority allergens are tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, wheat and triticale, eggs, milk, soybeans, mustard, fish, crustaceans and molluscs.

The ingredient list and the allergen statement also have format rules:

• one colour that looks like solid black on white, or a neutral background tinted 5% or less
• one plain sans serif font, in regular type, with letters that don't touch
• set apart from the rest of the label by a border, lines or a contrasting background
• an x-height of at least 1.1 mm, or 1.4 mm when the label has a Nutrition Facts table with 8 point type

The English and French lists sit on one continuous surface. On a label smaller than 100 cm², the second language can start on the same line where the first ends.

The Nutrition Facts table

Most prepackaged foods need a Nutrition Facts table, and there is no general exemption for small businesses. The common exemptions are:

• food sold only at a farmers' market, roadside stand, craft show, flea market, fair or sugar bush by the person who made it
• food sold only in the store where it is made
• packages with less than 15 cm² of display surface
• fresh fruit and vegetables with nothing added, and one-bite confections such as small wrapped candies

An exemption is lost if the label or your advertising makes a nutrition or health claim, if a vitamin or mineral is added, or if the product is ground meat. Packages under 100 cm² can leave the table off if the label tells buyers how to get the nutrition information.

The High in symbol

Since January 1, 2026, prepackaged foods that are high in saturated fat, sugars or sodium carry Health Canada's front-of-package symbol: a black and white magnifying glass with "High in / Élevé en" and the nutrient. It is triggered at 15% or more of the daily value per serving, 10% for small foods with a reference amount of 30 g or 30 mL or less, and 30% for main dishes.

The symbol goes on the main panel: in the top half when the panel is at least as tall as it is wide, and in the right half when it is wider. Some foods are always exempt, including maple syrup and other sweeteners, fats, oils and butter, seasoning salts and packages under 15 cm². Leave room for it on the main panel if your recipe might trigger it.

Best before dates

Food that keeps for 90 days or less carries a best before date, with storage instructions if it needs something other than room temperature. The date is worded "best before" and "meilleur avant" and written year, month and day. The year is only needed when it would otherwise be unclear, and the month can be a word or one of these two-letter codes, which work in both languages:

The date can go on the bottom of the package if the label says where to find it. Food packaged in the store where it is sold can show a "packaged on / empaqueté le" date instead. Expiration dates are a separate rule for a short list of foods, such as infant formula and meal replacements.

English and French

Mandatory information on prepackaged food is shown in both official languages. The company name and address can be in either one. Three narrow exemptions allow one language:

• Local food, made and sold in one town or city (or the ones next to it) where the other language is spoken by fewer than 10% of residents
• Test market food, new to Canada, sold for up to 12 months after notifying the CFIA
• Specialty food, such as imported food not widely eaten in Canada with no Canadian substitute

Quebec has extra French-language rules, so check them if you sell there.

Type size and legibility

Required text has to be clearly shown and readable when people shop. It is at least 1.6 mm high, measured on the lower case "o". On packages with a main display surface of 10 cm² or less, most of it can be 0.8 mm, though the net quantity keeps its own minimum. The CFIA warns that coloured text on a similar background, or embossed letters without contrast, may not count as legible.

Your name and address

The label names the company responsible for the food and its principal place of business, which has to lead to a physical location. The CFIA recommends the civic address, city, province, postal code and country. A website or phone number can be added, but on its own it doesn't count. The name and address can go anywhere except the bottom of the package.

Product of Canada and Made in Canada

Origin claims are voluntary, but a label that makes one has to meet the CFIA's criteria. "Product of Canada" means all or virtually all of the major ingredients, processing and labour are Canadian, with small amounts of imported spices, additives or flavourings, generally under 2% of the product in total.

"Made in Canada" means the last substantial transformation happened in Canada, and it always needs a qualifying statement, such as "Made in Canada from domestic and imported ingredients" or "Made in Canada from imported ingredients". A maple leaf can imply a Product of Canada claim, depending on how it is used.

Planning the printed label

• Lay out the text first. Set the ingredient list, allergen statement and Nutrition Facts table at real size, in both languages, then choose a label size that fits them.
• Keep required text on white. We print in full colour, and unprinted areas show the white label, so a white panel behind the ingredient list meets the background rule.
• Leave room for dates. Every label in a run prints the same. Leave a clear space and add best before dates or lot codes with a stamp or a date coder when you pack.
• Choose the material for where the food lives. BOPP film for anything wet, oily or chilled, freezer labels for frozen food, and paper for dry goods. See food labels and the label materials guide.
• Measure the package. Use the flat area of the jar or bottle. Our bottle measuring guide shows how.

Proof checklist

Before you approve the proof, check:

1. The common name and net quantity are on the main panel, in metric units.
2. The ingredients are in order by weight, and every allergen, gluten source and added sulphite is declared.
3. The ingredient list is black, or one equivalent colour, on white or a neutral background tinted 5% or less.
4. The Nutrition Facts table matches your recipe, or your product is exempt.
5. The High in symbol is on the main panel, if your food needs it.
6. The English and French text are both complete.
7. Your company name and a physical address are on the label.
8. There is clear space for the best before date or lot code.