Some grocery shoppers in Airdrie may be noticing a new black-and-white nutrition symbol appearing on the front of certain packaged foods, following a federal labelling requirement that took effect earlier this month.
The symbol, required under federal regulations administered by Health Canada, must appear on prepackaged foods that are high in saturated fat, sugars, sodium, or a combination of those nutrients. The compliance deadline for food manufacturers was Jan. 1, 2026, though consumers may have begun seeing the symbol on some products before that date.
Examples of the front-of-package nutrition symbol required on certain prepackaged foods in Canada.
The front-of-package symbol is printed in black and white and includes a magnifying glass icon. It identifies which nutrients the product is high in, such as saturated fat, sugars or sodium, and is required to appear prominently on the front of the package.
Under the federal rules, the symbol is mandatory for prepackaged foods that meet or exceed set thresholds for those nutrients. A number of foods are exempt, including fresh fruits and vegetables without added saturated fat, sugars or sodium, raw single-ingredient cuts of meat, and certain dairy products such as plain milk and plain yogurt.
Some foods are also exempt for technical reasons, including very small packages and products intended to be served by restaurants or other commercial enterprises as accompaniments to meals, such as individual creamers or crackers.
Examples of the front-of-package nutrition symbol. Source: Health Canada.
Health Canada says frequently eating foods high in saturated fat, sugars or sodium can increase health risks, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
The nutrition symbol must appear in both English and French and follow specific requirements for size and placement, depending on the shape and dimensions of the package.
Although the federal compliance deadline for food manufacturers is now in effect, not all products may yet display the symbol due to packaging and inventory turnover.
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