Dave Lawson, a proud Canadian, expresses frustration at the prevalence of “maple washing” on grocery products in Canada, where items adorned with patriotic symbols turn out to be American imports. Lawson, hailing from St. Catharines, Ontario, questions the authenticity of so-called Canadian brands that are not actually manufactured in Canada, emphasizing the need for improvement.
Following recent tariff threats by U.S. President Donald Trump against Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney urges citizens to “Buy Canadian,” emphasizing the importance of supporting local products. Lawson is actively involved in a Facebook group advocating for Canadian purchases in response to the U.S. trade tensions, promoting the selection of products made with Canadian ingredients.
Lawson points out deceptive marketing tactics used by brands like Betty Crocker, whose chocolate chip cookie mix is labeled as “Canada’s #1 Selling Baking Mix Brand” but is revealed to be a “Product of USA” upon closer inspection. This misleading practice, known as maple washing, misleads consumers, as highlighted by a recent investigation by Marketplace.
Similarly, Habitant pea soup, a beloved French Canadian tradition, features “Designed in Canada” on the front label but discloses its origin as the USA on the back. Consumers, like Montreal resident Bob Bastien, feel deceived by companies like Campbell’s, the producer of Habitant, for misrepresenting the product’s Canadian roots.
Food economics professor Mike von Massow criticizes such misleading labels, emphasizing the need for clearer packaging information. Companies like General Mills and Campbell’s defend their practices, citing sales data and production reasons for the labeling discrepancies.
To assist consumers in deciphering labels, von Massow explains the varying meanings of phrases like “Made in Canada,” “Designed in Canada,” and “Canada’s #1 selling brand.” He advises shoppers to look for the “Product of Canada” label, ensuring that the majority of ingredients and processing are Canadian.
While Australia has implemented a Country of Origin Labelling system for food products, providing clear information on local content percentages, Canadian consumer advocates like Sara Eve Levac call for similar transparent labeling laws in Canada. Despite calls for simpler and clearer labeling rules, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency remains focused on addressing misleading product labels reported by consumers.
