In the aftermath of over a year since the initiation of the Buy Canadian movement, major grocery chains Loblaw and Sobeys are under heightened scrutiny for “maple washing,” a tactic involving the promotion of imported products as domestically sourced goods. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) imposed $10,000 fines on two Loblaw-owned stores in January for maple washing, and subsequently issued formal warnings to two other Loblaw-owned stores a month later for the same offense. Likewise, Sobeys has come under the CFIA’s scrutiny, with the federal food regulator confirming receipt of numerous complaints regarding the grocer’s maple washing practices and concluding an investigation into Sobeys’ advertising methods.
While no fines were levied due to the implementation of “corrective actions,” Sobeys has seemingly phased out its red maple leaf symbol, initially introduced to highlight Canadian products in stores. Recent visits by CBC to nine Sobeys and Safeway locations revealed the conspicuous absence of the once-prominent symbol, leaving products like Tim Hortons coffee and Real Dairy ice cream without any visible markers denoting their Canadian origin.
Although Sobeys did not provide comments in response to requests, its parent company, Empire, indicated in late March that it had commenced the removal of certain Canadian signage, citing consumers’ ability to discern the origins of their food. Consumer advocate Jay Jackson suggests that the ongoing CFIA investigation, which was underway in March, likely prompted Sobeys to discontinue the symbol to safeguard against regulatory scrutiny.
As instances of maple washing continue to surface, Jackson notes that disgruntled consumers are urging the CFIA to take strict action against offending grocers. The demand for harsher penalties stems from the perceived misrepresentation in “made in Canada” claims, with expectations of more substantial fines and stringent enforcement measures. Notably, fines for maple washing have been infrequent, despite the CFIA identifying 127 cases since the beginning of 2025 where imported food was falsely promoted as Canadian, with only two fines issued to Loblaw stores thus far.
In parallel, Steve Palmer, who has filed multiple complaints with the CFIA over maple washing incidents at Loblaw and Sobeys-owned stores in southwest Nova Scotia, expressed disappointment over the lack of penalties. Instances included the misrepresentation of Egyptian oranges as Canadian at a Loblaw-owned Superstore and the display of California walnuts as domestic at a Sobeys location. Palmer emphasized the need for corrective action to halt fraudulent labeling practices.
Furthermore, federal regulations mandate that food labels and in-store signage must be accurate and non-misleading. The CFIA, in response to inquiries, highlighted that fines are determined based on various factors, including risk levels, potential harm, and the offender’s compliance history. Notably, Loblaw received warnings for mislabeling vegetables, with fines issued to two Toronto-based stores for misrepresenting foreign goods as Canadian. Additional warnings were issued to two other Loblaw-owned stores for similar violations, involving the misrepresentation of Mexican bell peppers and green onions, as well as President’s Choice cocktail tomatoes from the U.S. with Canadian claims.
Acknowledging the challenges of ensuring accurate labeling amid evolving supplier inventories, Loblaw apologized for the mislabeled products and pledged to reinforce store procedures to prevent recurrences. Calls for stricter enforcement persist, although the maximum penalty under the Safe Food for Canadians Act stands at $15,000 per violation, significantly lower than penalties stipulated under the Competition Act. Shoppers like Palmer advocate for enhanced enforcement measures, questioning the lack of Competition Bureau involvement in maple-washing cases and urging public scrutiny on the matter.
While the Competition Bureau can intervene in such cases, its current stance remains ambiguous, with spokesperson Marianne Blondin emphasizing that not all activities are publicly disclosed. Shoppers are encouraged to file complaints with the Competition Bureau in cases of misleading advertising and report food-related concerns to the CFIA.
