Binding requirements for front-of-pack nutrition labelling have been in force in Canada since 1 January 2026. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is now enforcing the new regulations without any further discretionary powers.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ended the transition period for the new regulations on front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling at the beginning of the year. This is based on changes to the Canadian Food and Drug Regulations, which Health Canada had already published in July 2022 and which aim to improve transparency about critical nutrients on the front of pack.
As of 1 January 2026, newly imported, Canadian-produced or retail-packaged foods must fully comply with the requirements for the front-of-package nutrition symbol. The symbol is mandatory for pre-packaged products that meet or exceed defined thresholds for saturated fat, sugar and/or sodium. Products that were manufactured, imported or packaged before the deadline may continue to be sold.
No more facilitation of enforcement planned
The CFIA had already published an implementation plan for monitoring and enforcing the new labelling requirements in July 2022. With the end of the transition period, the authority is making it clear that there will no longer be any enforcement relief from 1 January 2026.
If non-conformities are identified during inspections, the standardised procedure in accordance with the Standard Inspection Process applies. Affected companies are given a deadline for implementing corrective measures, the duration of which depends on the severity of the deviation. The aim is to achieve full legal compliance within a clearly defined timeframe.
Precise specifications for obligation, exceptions and design
The labelling obligation applies in principle to all pre-packaged foods whose saturated fat, sugar and/or sodium content reaches or exceeds the threshold values specified in the regulation. At the same time, the regulations provide for complete and conditional exemptions. Some product categories are permanently exempt from the obligation to use the nutrition symbol, while others lose their exempt status under certain conditions and must be reassessed.
The display of the nutrition symbol is also regulated in detail. As a rule, the symbol must be placed on the main display side of the packaging. The colour, language, size, dimensions, orientation and visibility are binding and defined in the relevant sections of the regulation and in the bindingly referenced Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications. In addition, it is prohibited to add graphic or textual elements to packaging that could be confused with the official nutrition symbol.
The reform of front-of-pack labelling in Canada came into full force at the turn of 2026. For food manufacturers, importers and packaging providers, this means a permanently applicable regulatory framework that specifies the binding design of packaging and labelling.
Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
