Ottawa (TIP): Foods high in sugars, sodium and saturated fat will come with clear warning labels in Canada starting in 2026, the federal government said on June 30, in an effort to promote healthier eating choices and reduce chronic health risks.

“We know that it’s not always easy to make healthy choices,” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told reporters. “We need a quick and easy way of knowing exactly what options are the healthiest.” Under the new rules, a magnifying glass label will be required on all packaged foods with high levels of sugar, salt and saturated fat, along with text to make clear what “nutrients of concern” a food contains, Health Canada said. Manufacturers will have more than three years to prepare for the changes, with the rules set to go into force on January 1, 2026, the agency added. The policy will not apply to certain foods, such as plain milk and whole eggs, due to their health value. It will also exclude raw fish and meat, whether whole cut or ground. Those exemption will come as a relief to Canada’s meat industry, which lobbied against an earlier proposal that would have seen ground beef slapped with a warning label.

 (Reuters)