Food Information, Labelling and Advertising Panel
Final Report
The Consumer Group Panel on Food Information, Labelling and Advertising has produced a landmark report concerning the consumer interest in food information. It represents the collaboration of six major Canadian consumer-focused organizations, including three Canadian multi-issue consumer groups and three Canadian organizations with particular concerns about how people are affected by food and food information.
These groups are:
ANAPHYLAXIS CANADA
CONSUMERS COUNCIL OF CANADA
HEART AND STROKE FOUNDATION
MY SUSTAINABLE CANADA
OPTION CONSOMMATEURS
UNION DES CONSOMMATEURS
Over an 18-month period, the panel met in person and by web conference to discuss their respective organization’s perspective on food information, labelling and advertising. It shared research and invited organizations from government and business to present their perspectives on the topics at hand.
The work culminated in a series of eight recommendations for government and a background report that all six participating organizations have endorsed as informative to the public. The panel notes there are many recommendations that could be made to government, but believe the eight outlined in this document are the most important at this time.
The panel considered some input regarding advertising in media and for the purposes of the report limited “advertising” to mean in-store merchandising.
The panel also notes the marketing, advertising and in-store merchandising of food products aimed at children presents very serious problems and should be the subject of separate government investigation and action.
The report represents the best effort of the panel process to capture a global perspective on food information, labelling and advertising. As such, it is not an exhaustive examination, but rather an overview that summarizes key information and should provide valuable background for the public and other advocacy groups interested in the topic. Information contained in the report contributed to the development of the panel’s recommendations.
Obtain a copy of the full report by clicking here.
Register as an individual or organizational stakeholder interested in the Council’s food sector advocacy.
Recommendations
The Panel makes eight recommendations to the federal government, grouped loosely in four categories, about how to improve food information, labelling and advertising.
Improve the simplicity, pertinence and coherence of labelling
1. Quantity labelling
Establish food label regulations that require the quantity or proportion of any highlighted ingredient be stated accurately within the ingredients label in descending proportion, where: the ingredient or category of ingredients is mentioned in the name of a food, is usually associated with the name of the food by consumers, or is emphasized on the label of a food in words, pictures or graphics, and further:
a. Regulations prohibit the highlighting for persuasive commercial purposes of any ingredient found in the food in small or inconsequential amounts.
2. Place of origin
Ensure laws and ensuing regulation of geographic origin of food claims are thorough enough to allow consumers to determine, with reasonable certainty, the place of origin of the majority of the food ingredients. If food originates in Canada, a provincial designation should apply. If outside Canada, the country of origin should be used. Standards for Canadian claims, such as Foodland Ontario, Produit du Québec or Product of Canada should be standardized.
3. Update the Nutritional Facts Table
Update legislation and regulations surrounding the Nutritional Facts Table (NFT) to reflect current research regarding nutrition and to improve consumer comprehension and usability of the table. Further:
a. Establish regulations that standardize portion sizes for similar foods for reporting purposes on the NFT.
b. The government should task the responsible Department with undertaking ongoing and comprehensive consumer education about the NFT and how to utilize it.
4. Front of package (FOP) labelling
Government must work closely with consumer organizations and business to improve consumers’ ability to make healthy choices by establishing an FOP label scheme, and accompanying consumer education program, in order to reduce consumer confusion resulting from multiple FOP programs.
1. The scheme be based on colour coding and/or symbols, following these principles:
- Is simple and does not require consumers to have specific or sophisticated nutritional knowledge
- Is interpretive, provides guidance rather than specific facts
- Uses identifiable symbols and names that are easy to remember.
2. Whatever scheme is adopted, the government should ensure there is ongoing evaluation of the initiative and that it is monitored for compliance.
5. Implement regulations mandating unit pricing
Implement regulations mandating unit pricing, to standardize and maximize its impact. The regulations should be established through comprehensive consultation with consumer organizations and business and should ensure:
a. There is one unit price standard applicable across all jurisdictions
b. Unit calculations are based on the final serving state (i.e. reconstituted, or “as is”)
c. Standard unit pricing for similar packaged foods are the same
d. Exemptions to unit pricing are minimized and fully justified
e. Unit pricing is included in all types of advertising that states the regular or sale price of the item
f. Unit price always be rounded up to the nearest cent, or one-hundredth of a dollar
g. Discounted, (“on sale”) items be included in unit pricing
h. Consumer information on a unit price label is more prominent than retailer or producer information or logos
i. Non-compliance is addressed in a serious fashion by regulators, and that regulations include significant monetary penalties for offenders
Improve access to information
6. Mandatory labelling
Impose mandatory labelling for foods that have been irradiated, have been produced using nano-technology or contain genetically modified organisms.
Review the process
7. Legislative framework
Create a legislative framework to allow for the ongoing evolution of food label regulations required to meet changing consumer needs, and further:
a. Ensure appropriate public input through the establishment of a standing commission to include consumer organizations, provincial counterparts, clinicians, public health experts, organic producers, producers and business.
b. Ensure adequate funding for the not-for-profit consumer organizations asked to participate in the commission so that they can make informed, reasoned and independent contributions.
The marketplace is a fast-evolving place, thanks to global competition for the consumer dollar among manufacturers. Canadian consumers and businesses cannot afford to wait a dozen years or more for food label legislation to be updated. Outdated labelling or confusing warnings, such as that found on products that may contain food allergens, need to be dealt with expeditiously. At the same time, new manufacturing processes, new food technologies and new health claims will continue to challenge static regulations.
A standing commission that includes members as noted in 7a could keep labelling relatively up-to-date by looking forward and anticipating challenges to the Canadian marketplace.
Education
8. Consumer education program
Commit to undertake ongoing and comprehensive consumer education programs, using plain language, focused on encouraging shoppers of all ages, literacy levels and socio-economic backgrounds to be informed food consumers.
Such an ongoing program would educate consumers to better use updated food information to make healthy food choices, avoid being misled, and to support sustainable, local food production. The program should also include a lexicon of nutritional definitions in plain language so that consumers better understand, from a nutritional and regulator perspective, words and food descriptions found on food labels and in food advertising.
While consumers are responsible for trying to be informed shoppers, they require food information that is accessible, easy to understand and truthful. Consumer education is not a replacement for requiring food companies to develop quality foods with quality ingredients, using sustainable practices.