+34
A marketing professor breaks down the differences between Product of Canada, 100% Canadian, Made in Canada and Prepared in Canada labels, plus the maple leaf symbol, as consumers aim to buy local during the U.S. trade war.
Amid an ongoing trade war with the United States, many across Canada are doing their best to buy local. But with a variety of different labels and symbols indicating just how Canadian a product is, that can prove to be challenging.
CTV Your Morning spoke to Bonnie Simpson, a professor of marketing at Western University, on Monday, to help break down what makes a product truly Canadian. Simpson says 100% Canadian is considered the gold standard. This is where everything was Canadian, she said. The product, the labour, the processing, everything is Canadian.
What Product of Canada Label Means
It is really straightforward, it is 100 per cent. When something is labelled Product of Canada, it is not as straightforward, since not all the ingredients are available in Canada, but many are. Simpson uses the example of Ontario apple cider. While the apples are from Canada, and it is produced in Canada, the spice added to the drink to give it flavour might not be grown in Canada.
So, it is 98 per cent Canadian, leaving room for the fact that maybe some really specific little part of the product was not grown or was not available here, she said. Simpson explains that when something is labelled Made in Canada, the product has to go through its last substantial transformation here. While it leaves a lot of grey area, the product has to be 51 per cent directly from here, whether that is through the ingredients or labour.
Decoding Made in Canada Rules
A Made in Canada product leaves a lot of space for imported ingredients. But the key thing about the label is that it has to change to a new product in Canada. Things like frozen pizza that came here as dough, sauce and cheese and got created here into a new product, Simpson said. When a label says a product is Prepared in Canada, it is more likely that the product was not made in Canada or with Canadian ingredients.
It was simply prepared here. Simpson uses the example of imported coffee beans, which do not grow in Canada but are packaged and roasted here. These are not necessarily Canadian products to begin with, she said. A black maple leaf with the word Canada is often found on meat and fish products.
Maple Leaf Symbols Lack Official Meaning
Simpson explains that it is a food inspection label meant to tell us that the product meets federal food safety standards and was processed in a place where there is inspection. This is simply a safety label, she said. As for a product with a maple leaf symbol on it, Simpson says it could mean a lot of things but has no official meaning beyond a representation or association with Canada. There are no rules about using it, she said.
It does not necessarily mean it meets a Canadian standard or that it was made somewhere else. Some companies use it to showcase that it is a top-selling product in Canada, regardless of if the product was made elsewhere. Simpson urges consumers to pay attention to the words used on a product, rather than the symbols.
Please follow us on Google to support us
BNNBloomberg
CTVNews:This story was compiled and edited by the HeadTopics newsroom and HT AI from the reports above.
Canadian Product Labels Buy Local Canada Product Of Canada Made In Canada Maple Leaf Symbol
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
The Critical Role of UX and Visual Appeal in Product DesignThis article explores how proper User Experience and User Interface design, along with strong visual appeal, are essential for creating products that meet business objectives and consumer expectations while avoiding absurd or poorly made items.
Read more »
Security experts call for inquiry into Havana Syndrome cases at Canada’s embassy in CubaLawmakers urged to investigate Moscow’s alleged use of sonic attacks and how Ottawa treated diplomats
Read more »
Canadian Security Experts Demand Inquiry into Havana Syndrome at Cuba EmbassyFormer Canadian spies and security officials are urging an independent parliamentary investigation into whether Russian sonic weaponry harmed diplomats in Cuba and how the government handled the aftermath, amid a sealed lawsuit alleging denied healthcare and downplayed brain injuries.
Read more »
CBC's Hockey Night in Canada Returns with Eight PWHL Saturday Night GamesCBC/Radio-Canada is bringing back Hockey Night in Canada for its 90th season, airing eight prime time PWHL games on Saturday nights beginning Dec. 5, after losing NHL rights in June.
Read more »