Back in 2022, Health Canada instituted a set of front of package labeling requirements and the deadline to implement these changes is creeping up. These requirements make it necessary to call out high levels of sodium, sugars, and saturated fat in products, making it easier for consumers to evaluate health risks.

While the food industry has until January 1, 2026 to make this change, food producers are welcome to adopt the protocols now and it’s always good to stay ahead of big changes. In this blog we’ll cover what you need to know about the Canadian front of package labeling requirements and how ReciPal's nutrition labeling software can help you easily stay compliant.

If you prefer to learn over video, we have a version on our YouTube Channel and embedded below:

Why Are There Front Of Package Requirements?

Foods high in sodium, sugars, and saturated fats put people at a higher risk of stroke, obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and some types of cancer.

This labeling requirement provides an easily recognizable symbol that helps consumers make informed shopping decisions.

What Is Considered “High In” Sodium, Sugar, And Saturated Fat?

For nutrients, such as sodium, sugar, and saturated fat the Daily Value (DV) is the amount that people should try not to exceed.

As such, you must display the “High in” symbol on a food label when the amount of sodium, sugar and/or saturated fat is ≥ 15% of the applicable DV. The quantity of food this evaluation is based on is either the stated serving size or the reference amount for the product, whichever quantity is greater.

Keep in mind there are some exceptions to this rule. Here are two cases where Health Canada has set different amounts:

• Small Servings - For prepackaged products with a reference amount ≤ (equal to or less than) 30 g or 30 mL, the symbol must appear when the amount of saturated fat, sugars and/or sodium is ≥ 10% of the applicable DV.
• Main dishes - For prepackaged main dishes with a reference amount ≥ 170 g (when intended solely for children one to four years) or ≥ 200 g (when intended for children and/or adults), the symbol must appear when the amount of saturated fat, sugars and/or sodium is ≥ 30% of the applicable DV.
  • Note: there is specific criteria that defines a “main dish” beyond just the weight of a serving. If your serving size is ≥ 200 g ReciPal will provide symbols for both main dish and standard evaluation, so you can determine which one best fits your product.

Exceptions From Front of Package Labeling

There are also a number of cases where food can be exempt for front of package labeling requirements:

• Technical reasons - such as very small packages or cuts of meat that don’t carry nutrition facts table
• Protective effect on health - such as fruits and vegetables without added sodium, sugars, or saturated fat
• Important source of calcium - such as plain milk, plain yogurt and cheese
• Avoiding nutritionally inferior impression - such as raw, single ingredient ground meats and poultry (as compared to whole cuts that don’t carry a nutrition symbol)
• Inherently “high in” risky nutrients - such as butter, sugar, salt and other products used for the same purpose like: honey, celery salt, maple syrup, vegetable oils, seasoning salt.

Placing The Symbol On Your Product

The size of your package will determine the size of the symbol. The goal is to make it very legible within the given space. Health Canada has different variations of the symbol based on your principal display surface area (PDS).

In terms of placements and size requirements, Health Canada has detailed guidelines, but generally speaking the symbol must be on the upper half of the packaging and will appear on the right half if the label is wider than it is tall.

Examples from Health Canada

How ReciPal Supports Canadian Front of Package Labeling Requirements

After entering your recipe into our system, ReciPal’s nutrition analysis software checks the levels of sodium, sugar, and saturated fat against the recommended daily values to determine if there is any necessary front of package labeling.

We use the serving size you enter to determine what category your product falls into. For instance, if your serving size is ≤ 30 grams, we check if your sodium, sugar, and/or saturated fat is ≥ 10% the daily value (since it now falls into the small serving category). Similarly, if your serving size is ≥ 200g, we look to see if nutrients are ≥ 30% of their daily value (since it now may fall into the main dish category). Any serving size between 30 and 200 grams uses ≥ 15% of the nutrient daily value to determine if it has to be declared “high” in that nutrient.

On our label download page, we give you a download for the specific graphic you need (high in sodium, sugar, saturated fat or a combination of three) and you can choose whether you want the vertical or horizontal format depending on your packing. The download includes both a PDF and PNG version of the symbol in large and small formats depending on the available space for labeling. We also look at your label’s language selections to determine the type of symbol we provide in the download (ie English, French, Bi-lingual). While this may seem like a small convenience it can actually save a ton of time and effort.

Without ReciPal, you’d have to do the nutrient analysis, apply all of the rules and exceptions, and on top of that, you actually have to email Health Canada requesting the graphics. From there, you need to sift through a huge file with every variation, size, and format of the symbol to find the right one. We make it easy by identifying exactly what you need and giving it to you instantly.

Changing Your Recipe To Avoid Front of Package Labeling

Another thing ReciPal may be able to help you do is avoid the need for front of packaging labeling altogether. Front of package labeling calls attention to potential negative health consequences of your product. So, if you can maintain the integrity of your recipe with a slightly different formulation that may be the ideal path. ReciPal is a great tool for recipe formulation research and development. Using our software, you can play around with different proportions or types of ingredients to see if a new formulation that brings you under the labeling thresholds is possible.

With any rule it’s important to look at your use case specifically and make sure you understand any of the nuances or exceptions that may apply to your unique situation. As always, our goal is to make this process as easy as possible for you to navigate. If you have any questions or feedback feel free to leave a comment below.