The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has begun issuing fines and launching investigations into major grocery chains accused of misleading shoppers by promoting imported food as Canadian — a move that comes one year after the “Buy Canadian” movement surged across the country.
In a statement to CityNews, the CFIA publicly listed five food businesses penalized for deceptive labelling or advertising — including Real Canadian Superstore and Fortinos Etobicoke, both operated under Loblaw Companies Limited.
The penalties stem from violations of Section 6(1) of the Safe Food for Canadians Act, which prohibits false or misleading claims about food products. The Real Canadian Superstore in Ontario and Fortinos in Etobicoke were each fined $10,000 for occurrences in October 2025.
The agency said Canadians have made it clear they want transparency when choosing homegrown products.
“The CFIA takes labelling issues seriously and wants to know about products that consumers think are labelled in a misleading manner,” a spokesperson said in an email.
The CFIA separately confirmed it is investigating labelling and advertising practices overseen by Sobeys’ national head office. While the CFIA would not disclose details due to privacy laws, it said the probe involves how the retailer manages origin claims across its stores.
“An investigation is underway involving labelling and advertising overseen by the retailer’s head office,” the CFIA said. “We aim to be as transparent as possible about our enforcement actions.”
The CFIA also listed three additional companies fined for misrepresenting food as Canadian: Oxford Frozen Foods (Atlantic) — $10,000 penalty for deceptive blueberry labelling, Fresh in The City Inc. (West) — $7,000 penalty for misleading banana bread claims and Meatex Farms Ltd. (West) — $10,000 penalty for deceptive labelling of imported ghee products.
How ‘Canadian’ food labels actually work
The enforcement push from the CFIA follows a wave of consumer frustration that began in 2025, when the “Buy Canadian” movement gained national momentum. The trend was fuelled by a mix of economic nationalism, concerns about food security, and public anger over rising grocery prices.
Shoppers increasingly sought out Canadian‑grown produce, dairy, and packaged goods — and became more vocal when stores used maple leaf branding or “Product of Canada” signage on items that were, in fact, imported.
Tariffs from the U.S. and Canada’s own counter-tariffs have continued to lead some food producers to request price increases from grocers; one notable example is Metro Inc.
Under federal rules, food sold in Canada can only be marketed as “Product of Canada” or “Made in Canada” if it meets strict criteria set by the CFIA. These rules exist to prevent companies from using maple leaf imagery or patriotic branding in ways that mislead shoppers about where their food comes from.
According to the CFIA, a “Product of Canada” claim is the highest standard. To qualify, all or nearly all of the ingredients, processing, and labour must be Canadian and only very small amounts of imported items — such as spices, vitamins, or additives — are permitted.
A “Made in Canada” label can be used when the food is substantially transformed in Canada (for example, baked, canned, or processed in the country) and the ingredients may be imported, as long as the label clearly states this, such as “Made in Canada from domestic and imported ingredients.”
The CFIA says these rules are designed to give consumers a clear understanding of where their food is grown, raised, or manufactured — especially as more Canadians actively seek out domestic products.
With files from Nick Westoll of CityNews
