Imported Cat Foods - Label Complaint

In September 2005, the Competition Bureau received a complaint regarding the labelling of imported cat food products being distributed and sold at retail pet food stores in Ontario. The complaint was that the imported cat foods did not include the common name, in both official languages of Canada, on the product labels.

Section 6(2) of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations requires that mandatory information, common name and net quantity declaration on the label of a prepackaged product be shown in both official languages.

As the result of a Bureau investigation, the American supplier agreed to correct the labelling of all manufactured products by adding the French common name to all of their pet food labels.

According to the Bureau official’s follow-up contacts with the supplier in March 2006, all lines of cat food products are in full compliance with the requirements of the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Regulations.

(3099320)