Marketplace Finds 1 in 3 Groceries Labeled 'Canadian' — But Are They? • Over Here Toronto

As tensions rise between Canada and the U.S. over trade, Canadian groceries are increasingly pushing patriotism at the checkout aisle — but not all shoppers are convinced.

A CBC Marketplace investigation found that up to one-third of groceries at major Canadian chains are marked with “Canadian” branding, even when the products include ingredients that aren’t grown or sourced in Canada.

Some Canadians, like 81-year-old John Mackay from Tillsonburg, Ontario, have grown skeptical. When he saw orange juice labeled with a maple leaf, he was frustrated.

“Since when are we growing oranges in Canada?” he asked. “I was pissed off.”

What’s Actually Behind the Labels?

*Source: Loblaw Companies Ltd. (Dexter McMillan/CBC)*

To understand what qualifies as “Canadian,” Marketplace reviewed thousands of grocery listings from:

Loblaws (including the Voilà online platform)
Metro
Sobeys

They found a wide use of labels like:

“Prepared in Canada”
“Made in Canada”
“Produit d’ici”
“Shop Canada”

But each phrase has different — and often vague or lenient — meanings under Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) guidelines.

Key definitions:

Product of Canada: At least 98% of ingredients, processing, and labour must be Canadian.
Made in Canada: The last major transformation happened in Canada; may use imported ingredients.
Prepared in Canada: Means handled or packaged in Canada, even if ingredients come from elsewhere.

How Grocery Chains Are Using the Labels

Loblaws: Over 1 in 3 products tagged “Prepared in Canada”

Loblaws labelled 35% of their online items this way. Experts say this is a low bar, since it could include something as simple as bottling or mixing imported ingredients in Canada.

Brands most frequently labelled: Schneiders, Liberté, Club House
Some of these brands, despite their Canadian origins, are owned by foreign corporations (e.g. Liberté by France’s Sodiaal; Club House by U.S.-based McCormick & Co.)

Metro: ‘Produit d’ici’ label causes confusion

Metro used this “product from here” label next to clearly non-Canadian products like orange or pineapple juice. The company admitted this was an error and said it’s updating its labels to better reflect product origin.

Voilà by Sobeys: Inconsistent “Shop Canada” usage

Voilà tagged 22% of products with a “Shop Canada” label — down from 35% just one week earlier. The company says labels are added manually and subject to correction.

Experts: Patriotism Sells, But Transparency Lags

Marketing and food industry experts say grocery chains benefit from vague labelling, especially during periods of heightened national pride or economic tension.

“There’s an advantage to being broad — it puts more products in baskets,” said Michael von Massow, a food economy professor at the University of Guelph.

“There’s a lot of room for marketing that’s somewhat misleading,” added David Soberman, marketing professor at the University of Toronto.

CFIA Responds to Complaints

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) reported a surge in complaints over food origin claims:

60 complaints since November
54 submitted in February and mid-March alone
6 out of 19 inspections found non-compliant labels

In response, the CFIA reiterated that false or misleading claims violate Canadian law and damage consumer confidence.

Tips for Consumers

If you’re trying to support local producers or avoid U.S.-owned brands, here’s what you should know:

Don’t rely on a maple leaf icon alone — read the actual label and check for “Product of Canada” if you want stricter standards.
Understand your goals: Are you avoiding U.S. goods, supporting Canadian jobs, or both?
Use resources: CFIA provides videos and guides. Several mobile apps also help verify product origins.

“People need to decide whether it’s about buying Canadian — or avoiding American,” said von Massow.

As more Canadians turn to “Buy Canadian” shopping during the ongoing trade dispute with the U.S., Marketplace reveals that labels don’t always mean what consumers think. Grocery chains are walking a fine line between patriotism and profit, leaving shoppers to navigate murky definitions on their own.

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