Product identity
The label must clearly show the most commonly used generic name or function of the product. This is known as the “product identity declaration.”
Minimum text height for product name
The text used to indicate the product name must be at least 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) in height if only upper-case letters are used. If only lower-case letters (or a mix of upper- and lower-case letters) are used, the font height should be measured in relation to a lower-case “o,” which must be at least 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) tall. For example, whether the product name is shown as “Shampoo” or shampoo,” the height of the letter “o” must be at least 1.6 mm (1/16 inch).
If the size of the principal display surface is 10 square centimetres (1.55 square inches) or less, the minimum font height may be reduced to 0.8 mm (1/32 inch).
Bilingual requirement
The product identity must be shown in English and French.
Non-mandatory label information, such as directions for use and promotional statements, do not need to be bilingual; however, you are encouraged to include such information in both languages. Note: Quebec has additional labelling requirements for products sold in that province.
- Office de la langue française (available in French only)
Some products are exempt from the bilingual requirements:
Language exemptions for specialty products
Specialty products are products that are:
- not typically purchased by the public at large
- used at special times, such as religious seasonal products, or
- imported products for which there is no comparable substitute produced in Canada.
Specialty products must include the mandatory labelling information in at least one of the official languages of Canada.
Exemptions for products using a specific language
Some products are designed for use only in a specific language, such as:
- greeting cards
- books
- talking toys
- games designed for use in a specific language
In such cases, product identity should be shown only in the language of intended use.
Exemption for “test market” products
A test market product is one that has not been sold in Canada and differs substantially from any other product sold in Canada in terms of its composition, function, state, or packaging. Such products may be exempted from the bilingual labelling requirements for up to one year.
To qualify for the test market exemption, you must file a Notice of Intention with the Competition Bureau 6 weeks prior to the start date of the test market. To qualify, you will need to ensure the following:
- The product has not been previously sold in Canada.
- The product differs substantially from any other product sold in Canada (in composition, function, state, or packaging).
- The labelling on the product complies with all other labelling requirements, except for those provisions related to bilingual labelling and container standardization.
- The mandatory label information must be displayed in the first official language of at least 10% of the population in the area where the product will be manufactured and sold and the product is being manufactured and sold in an area where less than 10% of the population uses the other official language.
The Notice of Intention must include all of the following information:
- a description of the product
- a sample or illustration of the package and the label
- an indication of the number of products to be distributed
- the proposed start and end dates for test marketing (up to one year)
- the geographic area of the test market
- evidence or verification (with supporting data) confirming that the product:
- has not previously been sold in Canada in that form
- differs substantially from any other product sold in Canada with respect to its composition, function, state, or packaging form.
For detailed information about how to qualify for the text market exemption, refer to section 2.4.2 of the Guide to the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and Regulations.
Exemption for local products
A “local” prepackaged product is one that is manufactured, processed, produced or packaged in a “local government unit” (for example, in an incorporated city or town) that is
- sold only in that government unit, or
- sold in one (or more) local government units that are immediately adjacent to the one in which it is manufactured, processed, produced or packaged, or
- sold in both the local and adjacent unit(s)
A local product can be labelled in only one official language if:
- the mandatory label information is in the first official language of at least 10% of the population in the area where the product will be manufactured and sold
and - it is manufactured and sold in an area where less than 10% of the population uses the other official language.
Further reading
Net quantity information
The label must include a clear, accurate, and appropriate description of the net quantity of the package contents. This is called the “net quantity declaration.” This information must be:
- displayed clearly and prominently in distinct contrast to any other information on the label, and
- given in both English and French using a valid metric word or symbol as the unit of measurement (a valid metric symbol is deemed to be bilingual.
The terms “net,” “net contents,” or “net quantity,” are unnecessary; however, if used, they should appear in both English and French.
However, if there exists an established trade practice with respect to the manner of declaring the net quantity, it must be expressed in accordance with such established trade practice.
Exemption from the net quantity declaration
A net quantity declaration is not required if:
- The quantity is usually measured by count, the count is one, and the product identity declaration (that is, the common name) is given in the singular form.
- The product is usually sold by count and is packaged so that the contents are visible and identifiable and there are fewer than 13 items (if they can be easily counted) or there are fewer than seven items (if they cannot be easily counted).
- The product is being sold as a set with an accurate image of the contents on the principal display panel.
Specifications for describing the net quantity
- Font (numeric and non-numeric portion of quantity)
- Measurement units and symbols
- Degree of precision required for measurements
- Procedure for rounding of measurements
There are specific labelling requirements for both the numeric and non-numeric portion of the net quantity information.
Font: Numeric portion
The numerical portion of the net quantity must be presented in boldface type.
The minimum height for the numeric portion depends on the size of the principal display surface:
| Area of principal display surface | Minimum height |
|---|---|
| Up to 32 cm2 (5 in2) | 1.6 mm (1/16 in) |
| Larger than 32 cm2 but not bigger than 258 cm2 (40 in2) | 3.2 mm (1/8 in) |
| Larger than 258 cm2 but not bigger than 645 cm2 (100 in2) | 6.4 mm (1/4 in) |
| Larger than 645 cm2 but not bigger than 25.8 dm2 (400 in2) | 9.5 mm (3/8 in) |
| Larger than 25.8 dm2 (400 in2) | 12.7 mm (1/2 in) |
Font: Non-numeric portion
The font height requirements for the non-numeric parts of the net quantity declaration are exactly the same as those for the product identity: The non-numeric portion must be at least 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) high if only upper-case letters are used. If only lower-case letters (or a mix of upper- and lower-case letters) are used, the font height should be measured in relation to a lower-case “o,” which must be at least 1.6 mm (1/16 inch) tall.
In cases where the principal display surface of the container is 10 square centimetres (1.55 square inches) or less, the minimum font height may be reduced to 0.8 mm (1/32 inch).
Measurement units and symbols
The measurement unit used to show net quantity depends on the type of product being labelled. In general, net quantity must be shown as follows:
Use metric units of volume when the product is a liquid, gas, or viscous substance.
Liquids, gases, and viscous substances are declared in metric units of volume such as millilitres (mL) or litres (L), depending on the net volume of the contents:
- If the volume of the product is less than 1,000 millilitres, then the net quantity is declared in millilitres (mL).
- If the volume of the product is 1,000 millilitres or more, then the net quantity is declared in litres (L).
Use metric units of weight when the product is a solid or an aerosol.
Solids and most aerosols are declared in metric units of weight such as grams or kilograms. The choice of units depends on the net weight of the package contents (propellant plus ingredient for aerosols):
- If the product weighs less than 1,000 grams, then the net quantity is declared in grams (g).
- If the product weighs less than 1,000 grams, and if the product is a “catch weight” (that is, a product weight that is approximate because the product weight cannot be determined in advance) or if it is prepackaged from bulk at retail, then the net quantity can be declared in either grams (g), or in decimal fractions of a kilogram (kg).
- If the product weighs 1,000 grams or more, then the net quantity is declared in kilograms (kg).
Use metric units of length when a product (such as a garden hose or twine) is measured solely by length.
A product such as a garden hose or a ball of string is declared in metric units of length such as millimetres mm), centimetres (cm), and metres (m). The units used depend on the net length of the product:
- If the product measures less than 100 centimetres, then the net quantity is declared in millimetres (mm) or centimetres (cm).
- If the product measures 100 centimetres or more, then the net quantity is declared in metres (m).
For products that are two-dimensional, such as wrapping paper or aluminum foil, use metric units of area, length, and width and include the numberof rolls or sheets (if more than one).
Two-dimensional products are declared in metric units of area such as square centimetres (cm2) and square metres (m2). The measurement units depend on the size of the area being measured:
- If the product area is less than 100 cm2 (1 dm2), then the net quantity is declared in cm2
- If the product area is 1 dm2 or more, but less than 100 dm2, then the net quantity is declared in dm2.
- If the area is 1 m2 or more, then the net quantity is declared in m2.
For products such as toilet tissue, paper towels, or paper napkins, use metric units of length and width and include the number of rolls or sheets.
The net quantity must indicate each separate or perforated unit, number of rolls, number of perforated units per roll, and the number of plies.
Words and symbols describing measurement
The measurements units on the net quantity declaration must be bilingual.
A valid metric symbol (for example, “g” for gram) is deemed to be bilingual. If words are used (for example, “gram”) it must be declared in both English and French (for example, “gram/gramme”). The following table shows the correct spelling of measurement units in both languages.
| Acceptable words (optional if symbol used) (If used, both English and French must be shown) | Acceptable bilingual symbols | |
|---|---|---|
| English | French | |
| gram | gramme | g |
| kilogram | kilogramme | kg |
| litre | litre | L, l, l |
| millilitre | millilitre | mL, ml, ml |
| centimetre | centimètre | cm |
| metre | mètre | m |
| square centimetre | centimètre carré | cm2 |
| square metre | mètre carré | m2 |
| cubic centimetre | centimètre cube | cm3 |
| cubic decimetre | décimètre cube | dm3 |
| cubic metre | mètre cube | m3 |
Correct and incorrect usage of measurement symbols
- When using the symbols for litre or millilitre, the symbols “L” and “mL” are preferred
- Except for the litre symbol (“L”), all measurement symbols must be shown in lower-case letters. Do not put a period or the letter “s” after any symbol:
| Correct | Incorrect | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| g | g. | G | gm | gms |
- Separate the number from the unit of measurement with a single space
| Correct | Incorrect |
|---|---|
| 500 g | 500g |
- The net quantity measurement must be correctly rounded off to the required degree of precision
Degree of precision required for measurements
In general, the numbers used to show the quantity must be rounded off, with no decimal. Any final zeros to the right of the decimal point can be omitted. For example:
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| 984.3 cm | 984 cm |
| 142.3 g | 142 g |
Exceptions (if quantity is less than 100, less than 1, or is 500 grams or 500 millilitres)
If the net quantity is less than 100, then the figure may be shown to one decimal place. For example:
| Incorrect | Permissible | Correct |
|---|---|---|
| 53.592 cm | 53.6 cm | 54 cm |
| 85.05 g | 85.1 g | 85 g |
If the net quantity is less than one, then the figure may be shown either in words or as a decimal fraction with a zero preceding the decimal point. For example:
| Correct | Also Correct |
|---|---|
| 0.5 g | one-half gram/un demi gramme |
If the net quantity is 500 grams or 500 millilitres, it can be shown as one-half kilogram or onehalf litre, respectively, using either numbers or words. The following are acceptable:
| 500 grams | 500 millilitres |
|---|---|
| 500 g | 500 mL |
| 0.5 kg | 0.5 L |
| one-half kilogram/un demi kilogramme | one-half litre/un demi litre |
| one-half kg/un demi kg | one-half L/un demi L |
Procedure for rounding off a measurement
Where it is necessary to round off a measurement, the procedure is as follows:
When the first digit being discarded is less than 5
Note: Do not change the last digit being retained.
| Original | Rounded |
|---|---|
| 984.3 | 984 |
| 101.239 | 101 |
| 68.4 | 68 |
| 7.32 | 7.3 |
When the first digit being discarded is a 5 followed only by zeros
When a 5 is being discarded, do the following to round the number:
- If the digit before the 5 is an odd number, round up (for example, 985.5 rounds to 986).
- If the digit before the 5 is an even number, do not change (for example, 968.5 rounds to 968).
| Original | Rounded |
|---|---|
| 984.50 | 984 |
| 985.50 | 986 |
| 68.50 | 68 |
| 7.450 | 7.4 |
| 7.550 | 7.6 |
When the first digit to be discarded is a 5 or higher, or a 5 followed by at least one digit other than zero
Increase the last digit being retained by one:
(Note: If you are rounding up, you may need to increase the amount of product in the package to meet the new declared quantity.)
| Original | Rounded |
|---|---|
| 984.7 | 985 |
| 985.51 | 986 |
| 68.6 | 69 |
| 6.88 | 6.9 |
| 7.550 | 7.6 |
Further reading
Dealer identification
The dealer is the retailer, manufacturer, processor, or producer of a product, or the person who is engaged in the business of importing, packing, or selling a product.
The label must clearly show the dealer’s company name and the full mailing address of the company in either English or French in a font that is at least 1.6 mm (1/16”) in height. The address must be consistent with Canada Post addressing guidelines and it cannot be a postal box.
Except in the case of an ornamental container, the dealer identification may be located anywhere on the outside of the container except the bottom.
Additional requirements for imported products
Non-bulk and bulk imports
This includes prepackaged products that are:
- wholly manufactured or produced in a country other than Canada, or
- imported into Canada in bulk, and then packaged in Canada (by someone other than a retailer) and labelled.
For these types of imported products, any of the following is acceptable:
- The words “imported by/importé par” or “imported for/importé pour” are shown immediately before the name and address of a Canadian dealer.
- The place of origin is indicated beside the name and address of a Canadian dealer.
- The name and address of the foreign dealer are shown.
Country of origin marking: Although the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act does not require that the country of origin be marked, the Canadian government does require this for specific goods. For further information, prospective importers should contact their local customs office (visit the Canadian Border Services Agency website for a list of offices).
Further reading
Examples of labelling for specific product types
For details of the information required for the different label components, see:
- Product identity declaration (common name of product)
- Net quantity declaration
- Dealer name and place of business (dealer identification)
Visible, identifiable, easily counted products
It is not mandatory to declare the net quantity if: the package contains only one item; the contents are visible, identifiable, and easily counted; or the product is being sold as a set with an accurate image of the contents on the principal display panel. However, the product identity and the dealer name must be included.
- Product identity declaration
- Dealer name and place of business
Liquid and viscous products
Mandatory labelling requirements for products such as dish detergent, cologne, engine oil, toothpaste, hand cream, glue, etc.
- Product identity declaration
- Net quantity declaration
- Dealer name and place of business
Aerosol products
Mandatory labelling requirements for products such as air freshener, spray paint, and other aerosol products:
- Product identity declaration
- Net quantity declaration
- Dealer name and place of business
Solids measured by weight
For solid contents that are measured by weight (for example, bar soap, cat litter) all mandatory labelling requirements apply:
- Product identity declaration
- Net quantity declaration
- Dealer name and place of business
Solids sold by item count
All mandatory labelling requirements apply for products that are sold by quantity or item count, such as paper clips, toothpicks, and boxes of candles:
- Product identity declaration
- Net quantity declaration
- Dealer name and place of business
Products sold by sheets or rolls
All mandatory labelling requirements apply for products sold by sheets or rolls, such as wrapping paper, toilet paper, facial tissues, address labels:
- Product identity declaration
- Net quantity declaration
- Dealer name and place of business
Products sold by length
All mandatory labelling requirements apply for products measured solely by length, such as a garden hose, twine, or string:
- Product identity declaration
- Net quantity declaration
- Dealer name and place of business