A year following the surge of the “Buy Canadian” movement across Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is taking action against grocery stores found promoting imported goods as Canadian. This year, the federal food regulator has imposed fines on two Loblaw-owned grocery outlets for violating these regulations. Additionally, CFIA is currently looking into Canadian labeling and advertising practices at Sobeys’ corporate headquarters.
Responding to the consumer demand for supporting Canadian businesses and products, the CFIA emphasized its commitment to safeguarding Canadians from deceptive claims. Since the inception of the Buy Canadian movement in February 2025, initiated in response to the trade war by former U.S. President Donald Trump, numerous grocers have leveraged patriotic symbols and signage to showcase domestic products.
Last September, CFIA identified 27 violations where grocers, predominantly national chains, made inaccurate country-of-origin claims without imposing fines, leading to customer dissatisfaction. However, the recent enforcement approach by CFIA has shifted. Notably, a Loblaw-owned Fortinos store in Toronto was fined $10,000 for misrepresenting foreign-made food.
The CFIA flagged a display at Fortinos that featured Président-brand Rondelé specialty cheese spread with an 11-point maple leaf symbol on the shelf tag, despite its origin in France. Federal regulations mandate food labels and in-store signage to be precise and non-misleading.
Between November 1, 2024, and February 25, 2026, CFIA identified 78 violations related to country-of-origin claims at retail stores, prompting a change in enforcement strategy towards fines. The agency emphasized that the grace period for compliance is over, and it will now resort to appropriate enforcement actions as needed.
Notably, a recent CBC News report revealed a $10,000 fine imposed on Loblaw-owned Superstore in Toronto for misrepresenting American-made President’s Choice broccoli slaw as Canadian. CFIA clarified that a product is deemed Canadian if it is entirely or almost entirely produced in the country. These incidents were discovered in October last year, with penalties issued in January.
The CFIA’s ongoing probe into Sobeys is linked to a case last year at a Safeway store near Edmonton, where a house-brand Compliments avocado oil was advertised as “made in Canada” despite being imported. The CFIA’s scrutiny follows a previous CBC News investigation highlighting numerous imported Sobeys’ products labeled with a red maple leaf symbol.
Both Loblaw and Sobeys, major Canadian grocers, claim to prioritize accurate country-of-origin labeling but acknowledge challenges due to large inventory. In response to the fines, Loblaw expressed commitment to enhancing labeling procedures and encouraged customers to report any discrepancies for prompt correction.
Former CFIA inspector Terri Lee criticized the $10,000 fine as insufficient for large corporations like Loblaw, advocating for tiered penalties based on the grocer’s size. The CFIA’s current maximum fine stands at $15,000, classified as a “very serious” violation. The agency utilizes fines, warnings, license suspension, or prosecution referrals for enforcement, with plans to review penalties’ effectiveness in the upcoming federal budget.