A new symbol is coming to food labels.
It will be required in 2026 on foods that are high in saturated fat, sugars or sodium.
They will come with a magnifying glass and text on the front of food items.
Health Minister Jean Yves Duclos says it will help consumers make better informed and healthier food choices.
“Diets high in these nutrients increase the risk of chronic diseases and decrease our overall well-being, which is why we want to know which package foods have much of it,” says Duclos.
The Health Minister is also giving food manufacturers the time to react to the label change.
“This is because it’s a line with other changes in regulations around packaging and information that the industry also has to follow for other files,” says Duclos.
The new labelling is welcomed by organizations like Diabetes Canada and the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Dr. Andrew Pipe with the Heart and Stroke Foundation says such foods account for half the calories adults consume and even higher for children.
“Clearly visible, easy to understand nutrition information on the front of food and beverages that are high in sodium, sugars and saturated fat will help steer people away from these products and support them to make healthier choices,” says Dr. Pipe.
Pipe says it may also lead to food manufacturers producing healthier foods.
Ground and cut meats, poultry and fish are among products exempt from the new labelling.
Other foods that will not be required to display the nutrition symbol include:
- foods exempt for technical reasons, such as:
- packaged individual portions that are only intended to be served by a restaurant or other commercial enterprise to accompany meals or snacks (for example, individually portioned crackers served with soup or creamers served with a cup of coffee)
- milk and cream sold in refillable glass containers
- foods in very small packages
- raw, single-ingredient whole cuts of meat, poultry and fish that do not carry a nutrition facts table
- foods with a protective effect on health, such as fruits and vegetables without added sodium, sugars, or saturated fat
- certain dairy products, such as plain milk, plain yogurt and cheese because they are important sources of calcium that is needed to promote bone health and reduce the risk of osteoporosis
- raw, single-ingredient ground meats and poultry to avoid giving the impression that they are nutritionally inferior to whole cuts that do not carry a nutrition symbol
- butter, sugar, salt and other products used for the same purpose as butter, sugar or salt, such as:
- honey
- celery salt
- maple syrup
- vegetable oils
- seasoning salt
