What Type of Information Is Legally Required for Package Design?

When purchasing a product from your local store, it’s important you know exactly what’s contained within the product’s packaging. The government of Canada sets strict laws when it comes to product packaging.

This is particularly true in the food packaging marketplace, where standards continue to be honed to ensure safe and effective labeling of products. Let’s review the information that is legally required within package design.

Food Allergy Labeling

Many Canadians have food allergies that mean they’re unable to ingest certain products. Food product manufacturers must ensure their product’s packaging includes information on whether the product contains peanuts, eggs or milk.

In addition, the Canadian government now requires all gluten sources be declared when a food contains gluten protein or modified gluten protein. When a product might have been contaminated with allergens during processing, the phrase “May contain (allergen)” must legally be used on packaging.

Product Ingredients

Food product packaging regulations also require that manufacturing companies list their product’s ingredients on the package in descending order of their proportion in weight to the prepackaged product. While some ingredients, such as wax coating compounds in prepackaged fruit, do not have to be labeled, most additional substances are legally required to be placed in the ingredients lists.

Location Information

Another important requirement for any type of product packaging is information on the manufacturing company’s location. Location information should include the principal place of business for the company.

This information is required to ensure that consumers have a means of contacting the company for further information on the product.

Bilingual Labeling

The Consumer Packaging and Labeling Regulations require that all products be labeled in both French and English across Canada. The company name and address may appear in either language and are most commonly written in the target market language for the region.

Labeling Information for Medical Products

The packaging of medical products is tightly controlled by Health Canada, which sets specific guidelines on the data that must be included within the packaging design.

Information that must be featured in the packaging design for medical products includes the purpose of the product and the medical conditions for which the product is designed. Manufacturers of certain prescription medications might also be required to include the adverse effects of the products within the packaging.

By closely reviewing the requirements for their product’s packaging, manufacturers can maintain their commitment to the latest marketplace regulations. Speak with one of our packaging experts directly to learn more on regulations within your industry.