The US wants to redefine what counts as healthy food

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is redefining “healthy” food. The FDA on September 28 released the result of six years of consultations and revision: proposed new guidelines for assessing what constitutes “healthy” food. In short, something that is produced, advertised, or sold as “healthy” will now need to have the equivalent of one serving […]

Preventing obesity starts in the grocery aisle with food packaging

By Eugene Y. Chan and Liangyan Wang In 2018, Statistics Canada reported that nearly one in three Canadians were obese. Similar figures have been reported in Australia, but more concerning is the United States, where over 40 percent of the population is obese. Obesity is not the only diet-related illness to be concerned about — diabetes […]

Health Canada announces new regulations for supplemented foods

Health Canada has announced the introduction of new regulations for supplemented foods aimed at protecting the health and safety of Canadians. Under the new regulations, all supplemented foods — pre-packaged foods containing one or more added ingredients, such as vitamins, mineral nutrients, amino acids, caffeine or herbal extracts — will display a standardized Supplemented Food Facts table, […]

Canada to require nutrition warnings on some packaged food

Starting in 2026, Canada will require that nutrition warnings are posted on the front of pre-packaged food with high levels of saturated fat, sugar, or sodium. According to the Canadian Press, the key reasoning behind the move is to help grocery shoppers make healthier choices with just a glance. The policy has been in the […]

A&W launches Canada’s first lidless, fully compostable coffee cup

A&W Canada has launched what it describes as Canada’s first lidless, fully compostable coffee cup. The company said it is proud to be the first major quick-service restaurant brand to pilot a new, “truly innovative sustainable cup design” starting March 14 in participating restaurants across Toronto. Each year, a release notes, an estimated five billion single-use cups end […]

Plastic packaging may increase food waste, finds report

Not only does wrapping food in plastic packaging hurt the environment by producing more plastic waste, it can also increase food waste by forcing customers to buy more than they actually need. That’s according to a new 18-month study by sustainability charity Wrap, reported in the Guardian, which concluded that supermarkets, grocers, and other food […]

Consumers looking for sustainability claims on packaging

A new report from Cargill suggests that consumers are being increasingly influenced by sustainability claims on food packaging. The recent global Fatitudes survey found that 55 per cent of consumers said they are more likely to purchase a packaged food item if it includes a sustainability claim, a four-point jump since the company last fielded […]

Tupperware creates unique reusable packaging for Tim Hortons

Through its partnership with TerraCycle’s zero-waste platform Loop, Tupperware has designed and produced a one-of-a-kind reusable packaging container option for Tim Hortons. The reusable container was created by Tupperware to package Tim Hortons food menu items as part of a pilot program at select locations across Burlington, Ont. It is available as part of the […]

Alberta introduces “Made in Alberta, by Albertans” food labels

Alberta’s provincial government is introducing a “Made in Alberta” label to help grocery shoppers quickly identify food that has been produced within the province’s borders. The labels, which will read “Made in Alberta, by Albertans”, will be introduced by the government’s Agriculture and Forestry department. The key motivations are to help support local farmers and food […]