Half of Canadians Say Food Warning Labels Shifted Their Buying Behaviour

Mock packaging displays are seen during the new Health Canada labelling announcement in Ottawa on June 30, 2022. Canada required companies to add nutrition warnings to the front of pre-packaged food with high levels of saturated fat, sugar or sodium, starting in 2026. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

Fifty percent of Canadian consumers who have noticed the federal government’s new food warning designations say the labels have prompted them to choose more nutritious options, according to a newly released survey.

Eighty-four percent of the 1,510 Canadians surveyed this month said they have noticed the new black-and-white warning labels on packaged food products. The poll conducted by Leger for SecondStreet.org found that half of that 84 percent have modified their purchasing habits as a result of the new labelling system.

Canada’s new food labels are mandatory front-of-package nutrition symbols that Health Canada says are designed to help consumers quickly identify products with high levels of sodium, sugar, or saturated fat.

The labelling regulations came into full effect on Jan. 1 and are mandatory for any prepackaged foods “that meet or exceed set levels for saturated fat, sugars or sodium,” Health Canada said on its website.

Recognition and awareness of the labels vary from shopper to shopper but was highest among younger shoppers. Eighty-nine percent of consumers aged 54 and under said they have noticed the labels compared to 76 percent of those 55 and older.

A gender difference emerged in label detection as well, with 87 percent of women successfully identifying the labels compared to 80 percent of men.

Canada-born shoppers also demonstrated heightened awareness. Eighty-five percent of those born in Canada spotted the labels compared to the 77 percent of shoppers born outside the country.

Noticing the labels did not always translate into making a different choice, however.

The survey found that of those who have seen the warning labels, urban shoppers were 10 percent more likely than rural buyers to purchase something else.

Fifty-four percent of urban consumers said the labels convinced them to buy a healthier product compared to 49 percent of suburban shoppers, and 44 percent of rural shoppers.

Canada’s food labels must be used by food companies if a product reaches or exceeds specific percentages of Health Canada’s daily value. For general prepackaged foods that amounts to 15 percent or more of the daily value for saturated fat, sugars, or sodium, and 30 percent or more for main dish items.

Whole foods like fresh or frozen produce, raw single-ingredient meats, and poultry, eggs, and plain milk are exempt from the labelling, as are cheese, butter, and some yogurts.

The results showed a distinct split in how Canadians feel about their data. A majority of 54 percent confirmed they could access sufficient personal health records and diagnostic information from their provincial health system for making well-informed healthcare decisions. Thirty-one percent disagreed, stating they lacked the necessary access, and another 15 percent were undecided.

The survey also discovered strong public backing for expanding medical options for patients with severe or terminal conditions.

Sixty-nine percent of Canadians polled said they support legally permitting patients facing life-threatening or terminal illnesses to try medical treatments and pharmaceuticals approved by trusted global regulators (like the FDA or European Medicines Agency) while they wait for Health Canada approval. Just 16 percent of Canadians opposed the idea, and 15 percent were not sure.