Canada food labelling requirements: bilingual labels, allergens, FOP symbol

What a Canadian food label must show

The CFIA labelling checklist for prepackaged food covers the common name, the net quantity, the list of ingredients and allergens, the name and principal place of business of the dealer, the durable life date, the Nutrition Facts table, the front-of-package nutrition symbol, bilingual labelling and, for some foods, the country of origin. The common name and the net quantity go on the principal display panel. The common name is at least 1.6 mm high, or 0.8 mm when the principal display surface is 10 cm² or less, and the net quantity is in metric units with its number in bold.

For imported food, the label can show the Canadian dealer's name and principal place of business preceded by "Imported by / importé par" or "Imported for / importé pour", or grouped with the geographic origin of the food, or it can show the foreign company's name and principal place of business. This information must not be only on the bottom of the package, except on ornamental containers.

Canada food label checklist for exporters

• Common name and metric net quantity on the principal display panel
• Ingredients in descending order by weight, with priority allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites
• "Imported by / importé par" with the Canadian dealer, or the foreign company's name and address
• "Best before / meilleur avant" date if the durable life is 90 days or less
• Nutrition Facts table and, where required, the front-of-package symbol
• All mandatory information in English and French

Bilingual labels, allergens and nutrition

Mandatory information on consumer prepackaged food must be in both official languages, English and French; only the name and principal place of business of the dealer may be in either one. Specialty foods, local foods and test market foods can be exempt and labelled in one official language. Ingredients are listed in descending order of proportion by weight, and the priority allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites are declared by their source or common names. A "Contains" statement, if used, goes at the end of the list of ingredients, and the English and French lists must match.

The Nutrition Facts table declares energy and 12 core nutrients unless the food is exempt or its available display surface is under 15 cm². Since 1 January 2026, foods that meet or exceed the thresholds for saturated fat, sugars or sodium must carry the front-of-package nutrition symbol on the principal display panel, unless they are exempt. Country of origin rules depend on the food, for example wine, dairy, honey, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, meat and maple products, and use "Product of" followed by the country where required.