Mislabelled Produce Raises Alarms
Shoppers in Canada are reporting false labels on food products. Grocery chains face accusations of “maple washing”, where stores claim items are Canadian when they are not.
Shoppers Find Misleading Labels
A Toronto shopper, Dave, said he discovered multiple cases of mislabelling.
Photos showed green beans displayed as “Product of Canada” while the packaging revealed they came from Guatemala.
Another example involved a bag of red onions. The bag claimed they were Canadian, but the package said they came from Egypt.
Lawsuit Targets Major Grocers
A Montreal law firm, LPC Avocats, has filed a class-action lawsuit with Renno & Vathilakis. The case names Provigo, Sobeys, Metro, and Walmart.
Lawyer Joey Zukran said:
“This is false representation and false advertising. It takes advantage of consumers who want to support Canadian farmers.”
The lawsuit seeks both accountability and compensation for shoppers.
Experts Say Problem Is Widespread
Food expert Sylvain Charlebois of Dalhousie University said “maple washing” has been rising since tensions with the U.S. pushed a “Buy Canadian” trend.
“We’ve seen many cases where the maple leaf was used to raise prices, with misleading labels,” Charlebois noted.
He pointed out even more glaring mistakes, like oranges labelled as Canadian produce.
Meanwhile, Charlebois said mistakes were tolerated earlier this year but now consumers have “zero tolerance.”
Consumers Becoming More Vigilant
As food prices rise, Canadians are checking product origins more closely. Dave said he will continue watching for misleading labels:
“We want to support local Canadian farmers. I want to be sure the product is really from Canada.”
Penalties for Misleading Labels
The class action is still awaiting court authorization. However, consumers can file complaints with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
Grocers caught misleading customers could face fines of up to $15,000 per offence.
