Cat Litter Package Labelling

In December 2005, the Competition Bureau received a complaint regarding the labelling of a cat litter product offered for sale at retail stores across Canada.

The complaint was that the label did not show the net quantity declaration in the minimum required type height for the size of the principal display surface of the container. The label also included the claims “40% more litter per kg than the leading national brands” and “same usage as 8.8 kg”. The latter claim was printed near the net quantity declaration and had a type height of 12.7 mm. As the net quantity declaration was less than 6.4 mm in type height, the claim gave the general false impression that the product is 8.8 kg in net quantity.

Section 14(2)(c) of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations requires that the numerical portion of the net quantity declaration of product containers with principal display surfaces between 258 and 645 square centimetres be at least 6.4 mm.

As the result of a Bureau investigation, the manufacturer corrected the labelling of all cat litters by increasing the net quantity declaration type height to 6.4 mm and removing the phrase “same usage as 8.8 kg” from the labels.

This matter was resolved in February 2006.

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