New labelling rules won't begin until 2026

By Canadian Press

Ground meat wins exemption in new labelling law

Canada to require nutrition warnings on front of some packaged food

Jun 30, 2022 | 7:23 AM

OTTAWA — Canada will require that companies add nutrition warnings to the front of pre-packaged food with high levels of saturated fat, sugar or sodium, starting in 2026.

But ground meat will be exempt from the labels, after ranchers groups objected to Health Canada’s proposal earlier this month.

The government says the labels are meant to help Canadians make healthier choices, as those nutrients have been linked to conditions such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Health Canada says the new labels will complement, rather than replace, the more detailed nutrition information that’s typically on the back of food packaging.

In general, they’ll apply on pre-packaged foods that contain more than 15 per cent of the suggested daily value of saturated fat, sugars or sodium.

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Ground meat is among a list of foods exempt from the warning labels even if they’re high in fat or salt. The product was deemed to have health benefits in spite of high levels of the nutrients.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2022.

The Canadian Press