Canada's new front-of-package (FOP) nutrition symbol labelling requirements are less than a year away. By January 1, 2026, many pre-packaged food products that meet or exceed prescribed thresholds for sodium, saturated fat and/or sugars, will require a symbol on the front of their packages indicating the same.
In June 2022, Health Canada published amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations that require most prepackaged foods high in saturated fats, sugars and/or sodium to include a symbol on the front of the package indicating the same. The FOP symbol thresholds are based on Health Canada's recommended amounts of nutrients, known as Daily Values (DV).
For most prepacked foods, an FOP symbol will be required if the food exceeds 15% of the DV of saturated fat, sodium or sugars. Read more about the FOP nutrition symbol amendments here.
The transition period to implement the packaging changes ends December 31, 2025. As of January 1, 2026, affected prepackaged food labels must display FOP symbols.
Gowling WLG's Food and Beverage Group includes professionals with expertise in regulatory, advertising and trademarks who can help make sense of this evolving landscape, and how these changes impact your business. We can help you navigate the new requirements and bring your product into compliance.
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