Canadian Study Demonstrates Impact of Canadian FOP Labeling

Posted on November 4, 2026

• A study commissioned by Blendtek and conducted independently by Dalhousie University on the impact of Canadian front of pack (FOP) nutrition labels found that FOP labels are significant to Canadian purchasing decisions, but that taste and price are still generally more important. Canadian FOP regulations requiring warnings for most foods “high in” (as defined by regulation) saturated fat, sugar, and/or sodium were published in 2022, but only began to be enforced this year (FOP Guidance). The study is available for download here.
• The study was conducted on a sample of 1,000 Canadian consumers. The study’s findings included the following:
  • Awareness of FOP labeling was very high (e.g., 94% of consumers were aware that some foods had FOP labels and 97% said they understood them at least somewhat well).
  • More than half of consumers reported changing their behaviors because of an FOP label (e.g., 50% switched from one product to another in the same category because of an FOP label and 64% said that FOP labels were at least somewhat likely to influence future decisions).
  • Household characteristics and food category were reported to impact the degree of importance of FOP labels. For example, the study results indicate that households in which someone was following a specific diet were most likely to avoid FOP-labeled foods, while financially strained households were the least likely to avoid them. Snack purchases were the most likely to be influenced by FOP labels.
  • Consumers were slightly more responsive to sugar FOP labels than fat or sodium, but no symbol dominated.
  • Price and taste remain the most important considerations (taste, price, and nutrition were rated as very or extremely important by 86.2%, 61.4%, and 58.4% of respondents, respectively). Only a small portion of consumers said they will pay more for a comparable product without an FOP label.  
• FDA’s 2025 proposed FOP rule would, if finalized, also provide information on saturated fat, sodium, and added sugar content, although it would provide “low,” “medium,” and “high” criteria. There is no timetable for finalizing FDA’s FOP rule, but it is on the Human Foods Program 2026 Priority Deliverables.