The CFIA Wants You to Have Your Say!

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recently announced an initiative to develop a more modern food labelling system—and is looking to get your input on how to best meet changing consumer needs.

The CFIA’s food labelling regulations outline the information that must be present on food labels, and how it should appear. Some examples of labels that fall under the CFIA’s responsibility include:

• the name of the food
• a list of ingredients
• nutritional information
• a "best before" date
• dealer name and address
• standards of identity
• the net quantity of food contained within the package

According to the CFIA, this initiative is being taken on in order to adapt to a food market that has become increasingly globalized and complex. Methods of food production are changing, marketing techniques are becoming increasingly innovative, and as consumers, we are becoming more aware and critical of the labels on our products.

The CFIA recognizes that there are currently some outdated and inconsistent policies in their current guidelines. By emphasizing accountability and transparency, we can modernize our food label regulations and gain a more clear understanding of what we are picking up off the grocery shelves and putting into our bodies.

The CFIA is taking its lead, in part, from the Canada Organic Office—they use an effective CFIA-accredited third party verification system, which ensures that all organic producers are applying Canadian Organic Standards to their products.

Fill out their questionnaire by August 30 to have your say in regard to any challenges or gaps you’ve identified in the current system, and what the CFIA can improve on to support informed consumer decisions.

Share your thoughts and help the CFIA to keep Canadian food labels safe, comprehensive, and clear!