Five labeling rules that get US products rejected in Canada
None of these are hard. All of them are shipment-stopping when missed. A working checklist for anyone eyeing the Canadian shelf.
A US label that sells fine at home can be non-compliant the moment it crosses into Canada. Here are the five that trip up clean-label and supplement brands most often.
Most required label information has to appear in both English and French. An English-only panel is the single most common rejection.
Net quantity must be shown in metric. US customary units alone won't clear — and the formatting rules are specific.
The label needs a dealer name and address in Canada — a US address on its own doesn't satisfy the requirement.
Supplements and foods follow different rules. Misclassifying a product means the wrong claims, the wrong panel — and a hold.
A claim that's fine in the US may be restricted in Canada. Every benefit statement has to be checked against Canadian rules, in both languages.
"A rejected label doesn't cost you a reprint. It costs you the launch window."
None of this is exotic. It's just detailed, and it's unforgiving — which is exactly why we treat labeling as a workflow, not an afterthought.