Canadian Food Inspection Agency identified 12 cases where grocers used Canadian branding, such as the maple leaf, to promote imported food products, a practice called 'maple washing.' Complaints filed between February and May prompted the investigations, and all but one case involved national grocery chains. The CFIA can impose fines up to $15,000 per offence but did not issue fines; the regulator said it took action and grocers corrected the problems. One prolonged case involved avocado oil at a Sobeys-owned store and took four months to resolve. Some shoppers who support Buy Canadian fear the practice will continue without penalties.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has identified 12 cases where grocers engaged in "maple washing," a practice where companies use Canadian branding, like the maple leaf, to promote imported food products. The violations stemmed from complaints filed with the CFIA between February and May, and all but one involved national grocery chains, the agency told CBC News in an email. The CFIA can impose fines of up to $15,000 per offence.
The federal food regulator said it "took action" in each case and that, in all of them, the grocers fixed the problem. The CFIA wouldn't provide any grocer names, but CBC News confirmed that the prolonged case involved avocado oil bought at a Sobeys-owned grocery store near Edmonton. Some shoppers committed to the Buy Canadian movement worry that if grocers face no repercussions, "maple washing" will persist.
"As consumers, we're trying to do our part," said Hamilton resident Brenda Nicholls. "I think the CFIA needs to step up and start levying fines, putting [on] some pressure, so that there will be some changes at the grocery store." In July, CBC News conducted its own investigation and uncovered more than a dozen cases of maple washing at a Toronto Sobeys, and one at a Loblaw-owned No Frills.
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