Ground meat exempted from incoming nutrition warning requirements

OTTAWA — Canada will require that companies add nutrition warnings to the front of pre-packaged food with high levels of saturated fat, sugar or sodium, starting in 2026.

But ground meat will be exempt from the labels, after ranchers groups objected to Health Canada’s proposal earlier this month.

The government says the labels are meant to help Canadians make healthier choices, as those nutrients have been linked to conditions such as cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

Health Canada says the new labels will complement, rather than replace, the more detailed nutrition information that’s typically on the back of food packaging.