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In Ontario, is it acceptable to sell products with packaging only in English?

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In Ontario, is it acceptable to sell products with packaging only in English?

Question

Is it acceptable to sell product with English only on the packaging in Ontario?

Answer

Generally, all mandatory information on retail food labels must be shown in both official languages, i.e., French and English, with some limited exceptions (e.g., for the identity and principal place of business of the person by or for whom the prepackaged product was manufactured, processed, produced or packaged for resale). There are also bilingual labeling exemptions for shipping containers, local products (sold in a local area in which one of the official languages is the mother tongue of less than 10 percent of the residents), official test market products, and specialty foods. We recommend that you consult with an experienced attorney to assess the specific facts and circumstances of your situation.

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We invite you to submit a question related to the regulations of packaging materials to our Keller and Heckman packaging attorneys.
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