Health Canada’s notice of proposal regarding the buffer zone between the front-of-package nutrition symbol and the supplemented food caution identifier or between nutrition symbols

Notice of proposal - Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications, Directory of Supplemented Food Caution Identifier Specifications
Reference Number: [NOP/ADP SFCI-001]
September 25, 2023

Summary

Amendments to the Food and Drug Regulations, which came into force on July 20, 2022, require the label of prepackaged products that are high in saturated fat, sugars and/or sodium to display a front-of-package (FOP) nutrition symbol. The supplemented foods regulations, which came into force on July 21, 2022, require supplemented foods that have associated cautionary statements to carry a supplemented food caution identifier (SFCI). Some supplemented foods may be required to carry both symbols on their principal display panel. In addition, prepackaged products that contain an assortment of foods may be required to carry more than one FOP nutrition symbol and/or the SFCI.

The Food and Drug Regulations (FDR) require that both the FOP nutrition symbol and the SFCI be surrounded by a buffer zone. The minimum applicable buffer zones are set out in the Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications and the Directory of Supplemented Food Caution Identifier Specifications.

During the Canada Gazette, Part I consultation for the supplemented foods regulations, as well as during later engagement and bilateral discussions, industry organizations and manufacturers noted that displaying both the FOP nutrition symbol and the SFCI uses up a significant portion of the principal display panel.

Health Canada's Food Directorate has considered industry's comments on impacts to available label space for supplemented foods that are required to carry both symbols. The Food Directorate concluded that the Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications and Directory of Supplemented Food Caution Identifier Specifications should be amended to permit displaying the FOP nutrition symbol and SFCI, with no buffer between them where they share a border (i.e., are contiguous). The Food Directorate also concluded that the same flexibility should be available for prepackaged products that contain an assortment of foods where one or more of the foods requires a FOP nutrition symbol. When such products require more than one FOP nutrition symbol, regulated parties would be permitted to display the symbols with no buffer between them where they share a border. This would be achieved by including a footnote to column 4 of the tables in each directory (see below) indicating that a buffer as small as 0 mm is permitted between the FOP nutrition symbol and the SFCI, or between nutrition symbols, where they share a border. The minimum buffer would continue to apply to the remaining borders of each symbol as indicated in their respective directories, as would the requirement for prepackaged products that contain an assortment of foods to display the nutrition symbols in a manner that clearly indicates the applicable nutrients that are contained in each food (B.01.353(1), FDR). The minimum buffer zone would continue to apply to all four borders of the FOP nutrition symbol or the SFCI when a single FOP nutrition symbol or SFCI is displayed on the principal display panel.

Proposed modification to the Directory of Supplemented Food Caution Identifier Specifications: Unilingual Standard Format
Item	Column 1 Range of principal display surface	Column 2 Supplemented food caution identifier in Schedule K.2 of the Food and Drug Regulations	Column 3 Supplemented food caution identifier dimensions (width x height)	Column 4 Minimum buffer surrounding the supplemented food caution identifier^{Footnote i}	Column 5 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 6 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 7 "x" height of letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 8 "x" height of letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 9 Height of the black bar	Column 10 Height of the exclamation mark
1	> 600 cm²	1(ES) and 1(FS)	4.42 cm x 1.61 cm	3.0 mm	4.2 mm	3.8 mm	3.0 mm	2.6 mm	7.6 mm	12.7 mm
2	> 450 cm² to ≤ 600 cm²	2(ES) and 2(FS)	3.79 cm x 1.38 cm	2.7 mm	3.7 mm	3.1 mm	2.7 mm	2.3 mm	6.5 mm	10.9 mm
3	> 250 cm² to ≤ 450 cm²	3(ES) and 3(FS)	3.10 cm x 1.13 cm	2.2 mm	3.0 mm	2.5 mm	2.2 mm	1.8 mm	5.4 mm	8.9 mm
4	> 100 cm² to ≤ 250 cm²	4(ES) and 4(FS)	2.50 cm x 0.92 cm	1.7 mm	2.4 mm	2.0 mm	1.7 mm	1.4 mm	4.3 mm	7.2 mm
5	> 30 cm² to ≤ 100 cm²	5(ES) and 5(FS)	1.87 cm x 0.69 cm	1.3 mm	1.8 mm	1.6 mm	1.3 mm	1.1 mm	3.2 mm	5.4 mm
6	≤ 30 cm²	6(ES) and 6(FS)	1.65 cm x 0.65 cm	1.1 mm	1.6 mm	1.6 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	3.0 mm	5.1 mm
ES: English standard FS: French standard Footnote i The minimum buffer zone between a supplemented food caution identifier and a nutrition symbol that are labelled contiguously can be 0 mm Return to table 1 footnote i referrer

Proposed Modification to the Directory of Supplemented Food Caution Identifier Specifications: Bilingual Standard Format
Item	Column 1 Range of principal display surface	Column 2 Supplemented food caution identifier in Schedule K.2 of the Food and Drug Regulations	Column 3 Supplemented food caution identifier dimensions (width x height)	Column 4 Minimum buffer surrounding the supplemented food caution identifier^{Footnote i}	Column 5 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 6 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 7 "x" height of letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 8 "x" height of letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 9 Height of the black bar	Column 10 Height of the exclamation mark
1	> 600 cm²	1(BS)	6.29 cm x 1.28 cm	2.5 mm	3.4 mm	3.2 mm	2.5 mm	2.3 mm	6.1 mm	10.1 mm
2	> 450 cm² to ≤ 600 cm²	2(BS)	5.40 cm x 1.10 cm	2.1 mm	2.9 mm	2.7 mm	2.1 mm	1.9 mm	5.2 mm	8.7 mm
3	> 250 cm² to ≤ 450 cm²	3(BS)	4.50 cm x 0.93 cm	1.7 mm	2.4 mm	2.2 mm	1.7 mm	1.5 mm	4.4 mm	7.2 mm
4	> 100 cm² to ≤ 250 cm²	4(BS)	3.60 cm x 0.76 cm	1.4 mm	1.9 mm	1.9 mm	1.4 mm	1.3 mm	3.5 mm	5.9 mm
5	≤ 100 cm²	5(BS)	2.97 cm x 0.63 cm	1.1 mm	1.6 mm	1.6 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.9 mm	4.9 mm
BS: Bilingual standard Footnote i The minimum buffer zone between a supplemented food caution identifier and a nutrition symbol that are labelled contiguous can be 0 mm. Return to table 2 footnote i referrer

Proposed modification to the Directory of Supplemented Food Caution Identifier Specifications: Bilingual Compact Format
Item	Column 1 Range of principal display surface	Column 2 Supplemented food caution identifier in Schedule K.2 of the Food and Drug Regulations	Column 3 Supplemented food caution identifier dimensions (width x height)	Column 4 Minimum buffer surrounding the supplemented food caution identifier^{Footnote i}	Column 5 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 6 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 7 "x" height of letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 8 "x" height of letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 9 Height of the black bar	Column 10 Height of the exclamation mark
3	> 250 cm² to ≤ 450 cm²	1(BC)	2.17 cm x 1.40 cm	1.5 mm	2.0 mm	1.9 mm	1.5 mm	1.4 mm	6.9 mm	6.9 mm
4	> 100 cm² to ≤ 250 cm²	2(BC)	1.75 cm x 1.14 cm	1.2 mm	1.6 mm	1.6 mm	1.2 mm	1.1 mm	5.6 mm	5.6 mm
5	≤ 100 cm²	3(BC)	1.66 cm x 1.09 cm	1.1 mm	1.6 mm	1.6 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	5.3 mm	5.3 mm
BC: Bilingual compact Footnote i The minimum buffer zone between a supplemented food caution identifier and a nutrition symbol that are labelled contiguous can be 0 mm. Return to table 3 footnote i referrer

Proposed modification to the Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications: Unilingual Horizontal Format
Item	Column 1 Range of principal display surface	Column 2 Nutrition symbol in Schedule K.1 of the Food and Drug Regulations	Column 3 Nutrition symbol dimension (width x height)	Column 4 Minimum buffer surrounding the nutrition symbol^{Footnote i}	Column 5 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 6 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 7 "x" height of letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 8 "x" height of letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 9 Height of the black / white bars	Column 10 Diameter of the lens of the magnifying glass
1	> 600 cm²	1(EH) and 1(FH) 2(EH) and 2(FH) 3(EH) and 3(FH) 4(EH) and 4(FH) 5(EH) and 5(FH) 6(EH) and 6(FH) 7(EH) and 7(FH)	4.42 cm x 3.30 cm	2.7 mm	3.5 mm	3.0 mm	2.7 mm	2.3 mm	6.2 mm	17.3 mm
2	> 450 cm² to ≤ 600 cm²	1(EH) and 1(FH) 2(EH) and 2(FH) 3(EH) and 3(FH) 4(EH) and 4(FH) 5(EH) and 5(FH) 6(EH) and 6(FH) 7(EH) and 7(FH)	3.79 cm x 2.83 cm	2.3 mm	3.0 mm	2.5 mm	2.3 mm	1.9 mm	5.3 mm	14.8 mm
3	> 250 cm² to ≤ 450 cm²	1(EH) and 1(FH) 2(EH) and 2(FH) 3(EH) and 3(FH) 4(EH) and 4(FH) 5(EH) and 5(FH) 6(EH) and 6(FH) 7(EH) and 7(FH)	3.10 cm x 2.36 cm	1.9 mm	2.5 mm	2.0 mm	1.9 mm	1.5 mm	4.3 mm	12.1 mm
4	> 100 cm² to ≤ 250 cm²	1(EH) and 1(FH) 2(EH) and 2(FH) 3(EH) and 3(FH) 4(EH) and 4(FH) 5(EH) and 5(FH) 6(EH) and 6(FH) 7(EH) and 7(FH)	2.50 cm x 1.89 cm	1.5 mm	2.0 mm	1.8 mm	1.5 mm	1.3 mm	3.5 mm	9.8 mm
5	> 30 cm² to ≤ 100 cm²	1(EH) and 1(FH) 2(EH) and 2(FH) 3(EH) and 3(FH) 4(EH) and 4(FH) 5(EH) and 5(FH) 6(EH) and 6(FH) 7(EH) and 7(FH)	1.87 cm x 1.42 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.6 mm	7.3 mm
6	≤ 30 cm²	1(EH) and 1(FH)	1.87 cm x 1.42 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.6 mm	7.3 mm
		8(EH) and 8(FH) 9(EH) and 9(FH) 10(EH) and 10(FH)	1.37 cm x 1.20 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.6 mm	2.9 mm
		11(EH) and 11(FH) 12(EH) and 12(FH) 13(EH) and 13(FH)	1.37 cm x 0.85 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.6 mm	2.9 mm
EH: English Horizontal FH: French Horizontal Footnote i The minimum buffer zone between a nutrition symbol and a supplemented food caution identifier, or between nutrition symbols, that are labelled contiguous can be 0 mm. Return to table 4 footnote i referrer

Proposed modification to the Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications: Unilingual Vertical Format
Item	Column 1 Range of principal display surface	Column 2 Nutrition symbol in Schedule K.1 of the Food and Drug Regulations	Column 3 Nutrition symbol dimension (width x height)	Column 4 Minimum buffer surrounding the nutrition symbol^{Footnote i}	Column 5 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 6 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 7 "x" height of letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 8 "x" height of letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 9 Height of the black / white bars	Column 10 Diameter of the lens of the magnifying glass
3	> 250 cm² to ≤ 450 cm²	1(EV) and 1(FV) 2(EV) and 2(FV) 3(EV) and 3(FV) 4(EV) and 4(FV) 5(EV) and 5(FV) 6(EV) and 6(FV) 7(EV) and 7(FV)	2.17 cm x 2.75 cm	1.9 mm	2.5 mm	2.0 mm	1.9 mm	1.5 mm	4.4 mm	6.2 mm
4	> 100 cm² to ≤ 250 cm²	1(EV) and 1(FV) 2(EV) and 2(FV) 3(EV) and 3(FV) 4(EV) and 4(FV) 5(EV) and 5(FV) 6(EV) and 6(FV) 7(EV) and 7(FV)	1.75 cm x 2.19 cm	1.5 mm	2.0 mm	1.8 mm	1.5 mm	1.3 mm	3.5 mm	5.0 mm
5	> 30 cm² to ≤ 100 cm²	1(EV) and 1(FV) 2(EV) and 2(FV) 3(EV) and 3(FV) 4(EV) and 4(FV) 5(EV) and 5(FV) 6(EV) and 6(FV) 7(EV) and 7(FV)	1.37 cm x 1.80 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.9 mm	3.9 mm
6	≤ 30 cm²	1(EV) and 1(FV)	1.37 cm x 1.80 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.9 mm	3.9 mm
		8(EV) and 8(FV) 9(EV) and 9(FV) 10(EV) and 10(FV)	1.37 cm x 1.40 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.9 mm	3.3 mm
		11(EV) and 11(FV) 12(EV) and 12(FV) 13(EV) and 13(FV)	1.37 cm x 0.85 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.9 mm	2.9 mm
EV: English Vertical FV: French Vertical Footnote i The minimum buffer zone between a nutrition symbol and a supplemented food caution identifier, or between nutrition symbols, that are labelled contiguous can be 0 mm. Return to table 5 footnote i referrer

Proposed modification to the Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications: Bilingual Horizontal Format
Item	Column 1 Range of principal display surface	Column 2 Nutrition symbol in Schedule K.1 of the Food and Drug Regulations	Column 3 Nutrition symbol dimension (width x height)	Column 4 Minimum buffer surrounding the nutrition symbol^{Footnote i}	Column 5 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 6 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 7 "x" height of letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 8 "x" height of letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 9 Height of the black / white bars	Column 10 Diameter of the lens of the magnifying glass
1	> 600 cm²	1(BH) 2(BH) 3(BH) 4(BH) 5(BH) 6(BH) 7(BH)	6.29 cm x 3.30 cm	2.7 mm	3.5 mm	3.0 mm	2.7 mm	2.3 mm	6.2 mm	17.3 mm
2	> 450 cm² to ≤ 600 cm²	1(BH) 2(BH) 3(BH) 4(BH) 5(BH) 6(BH) 7(BH)	5.40 cm x 2.83 cm	2.3 mm	3.0 mm	2.5 mm	2.3 mm	1.9 mm	5.3 mm	14.8 mm
3	> 250 cm² to ≤ 450 cm²	1(BH) 2(BH) 3(BH) 4(BH) 5(BH) 6(BH) 7(BH)	4.50 cm x 2.36 cm	1.9 mm	2.5 mm	2.0 mm	1.9 mm	1.5 mm	4.3 mm	12.4 mm
4	> 100 cm² to ≤ 250 cm²	1(BH) 2(BH) 3(BH) 4(BH) 5(BH) 6(BH) 7(BH)	3.60 cm x 1.89 cm	1.5 mm	2.0 mm	1.8 mm	1.5 mm	1.3 mm	3.5 mm	9.9 mm
5	> 30 cm² to ≤ 100 cm²	1(BH) 2(BH) 3(BH) 4(BH) 5(BH) 6(BH) 7(BH)	2.80 cm x 1.42 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.6 mm	7.4 mm
6	≤ 30 cm²	1(BH)	2.80 cm x 1.42 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.6 mm	7.4 mm
		8(BH) 9(BH) 10(BH)	2.50 cm x 1.20 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.6 mm	4.2 mm
		11(BH) 12(BH) 13(BH)	2.50 cm x 0.85 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	2.6 mm	3.9 mm
BH: Bilingual Horizontal Footnote i The minimum buffer zone between a nutrition symbol and a supplemented food caution identifier, or between nutrition symbols, that are labelled contiguous can be 0 mm. Return to table 6 footnote i referrer

Proposed modification to the Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications: Bilingual Vertical Format
Item	Column 1 Range of principal display surface	Column 2 Nutrition symbol in Schedule K.1 of the Food and Drug Regulations	Column 3 Nutrition symbol dimension (width x height)	Column 4 Minimum buffer surrounding the nutrition symbol^{Footnote i}	Column 5 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 6 Height of upper case letters or tallest ascender of lower case letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 7 "x" height of letters (except for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada)	Column 8 "x" height of letters for the words Health Canada / Santé Canada	Column 9 Height of the black / white bars	Column 10 Diameter of the lens of the magnifying glass
3	> 250 cm² to ≤ 450 cm²	1(BV) 2(BV) 3(BV) 4(BV) 5(BV) 6(BV) 7(BV)	2.17 cm x 4.10 cm	1.9 mm	2.5 mm	2.0 mm	1.9 mm	1.5 mm	7.8 mm	6.2 mm
4	> 100 cm² to ≤ 250 cm²	1(BV) 2(BV) 3(BV) 4(BV) 5(BV) 6(BV) 7(BV)	1.75 cm x 3.31 cm	1.5 mm	2.0 mm	1.8 mm	1.5 mm	1.3 mm	6.3 mm	5.0 mm
5	> 30 cm² to ≤ 100 cm²	1(BV) 2(BV) 3(BV) 4(BV) 5(BV) 6(BV) 7(BV)	1.37 cm x 2.60 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	4.9 mm	3.9 mm
6	≤ 30 cm²	1(BV)	1.37 cm x 2.60 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	4.9 mm	3.9 mm
		8(BV) 9(BV) 10(BV)	1.37 cm x 2.05 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	4.9 mm	3.3 mm
		11(BV) 12(BV) 13(BV)	1.37 cm x 1.50 cm	1.1 mm	1.5 mm	1.5 mm	1.1 mm	1.1 mm	4.9 mm	3.3 mm
BV: Bilingual Vertical Footnote i The minimum buffer zone between a nutrition symbol and a supplemented food caution identifier, or between nutrition symbols, that are labelled contiguous can be 0 mm. Return to table 7 footnote i referrer

Rationale

The FOP nutrition symbol and SFCI are required to help consumers make informed choices when there are health or safety risks associated with a food. Health Canada's Food Directorate designed both symbols to help ensure legibility for consumers while limiting the space occupied on labels.

Both the FOP nutrition symbol and the SFCI require a minimum buffer zone surrounding the symbols in accordance with their respective directories to ensure they are distinct from the background. The buffer zone cannot contain any text or other graphic material. The removal of the buffer zone for contiguous symbols would allow some flexibility in terms of space required to display them, while still maintaining their integrity and distinctiveness. The removal of the buffer zone requirement between the symbols can be achieved through modifications to the directories.

Health Canada is therefore proposing to modify the Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications and the Directory of Supplemented Food Caution Identifier Specifications to permit displaying the FOP nutrition symbol and SFCI, with no buffer between them. The Food Directorate also concluded that the same flexibility should be available for prepackaged products that contain an assortment of foods where one or more of the foods requires a FOP nutrition symbol. When such products require more than one FOP nutrition symbol, regulated parties would be permitted to display the symbols with no buffer between them where they share a border. This will be reflected in the directories in a footnote indicating that a buffer as small as 0 mm is permitted between the FOP nutrition symbol and the SFCI or between nutrition symbols where they share a border. The minimum buffer would continue to apply to the remaining borders of each symbol as indicated in their respective directories, as would the requirement for prepackaged products that contain an assortment of foods to display the nutrition symbols in a manner that clearly indicates the applicable nutrients that are contained in each food (B.01.353(1), FDR). The minimum buffer zone would continue to apply to all four borders of the SFCI or FOP nutrition symbol when a single FOP nutrition symbol or SFCI is displayed on the principal display panel. Regulated parties would have the flexibility, as they do now, to place the symbols in any order, provided they continue to meet their respective placement requirements.

Other relevant information

The sale of all foods is subject to Sections 3 to 7 of the Food and Drugs Act and must comply with the requirements set out in any applicable divisions under Part B and D of the Food and Drug Regulations and marketing authorizations such as those respecting the use of food additives. Manufacturers and distributors of food products are responsible for the safety of their products, and for ensuring that their products are compliant with applicable legislation and regulation, including the Safe Foods for Canadians Act and Regulations.

Implementation and enforcement

The proposed changes will be effective the day on which they are published in the Directory of Nutrition Symbol Specifications and the Directory of Supplemented Food Caution Identifier Specifications. This will be announced via a Notice of Modification that will be published on the Government of Canada's website.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is responsible for the enforcement of the Food and Drugs Act and its associated regulations with respect to foods.

Under the transitional provisions of the Regulations Amending the Food and Drug Regulations and the Cannabis Regulations (Supplemented Foods), supplemented foods that have a valid authorization for market access are allowed a transition period after the coming into force of the regulations until December 31, 2025. The transition period allows manufacturers or distributors of supplemented foods continued market access and provides time to make the necessary changes to comply with the requirements of the supplemented foods regulations.

Contact information

For additional information or to submit comments related to this proposal, please contact:

Supplemented Foods:
Bureau of Nutritional Sciences, Food Directorate
251 Sir Frederick Banting Driveway
Tunney's Pasture, A.L.: 2203E
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
E-mail: supplementedfoods-alimentssupplementes@hc-sc.gc.ca

If communicating by e-mail, please use the words "FOP-SFCI Buffer Zone (NOP SFCI-001)" in the subject line of your e-mail. Health Canada is able to consider information received by December 8, 2023, 75 days from the date of this posting.

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Date modified:: 2023-09-25

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