Markham shoppers stocking up after the holidays will see a new black-and-white symbol on many packaged foods. As of Jan. 1, 2026, federal rules require prepackaged foods that are high in saturated fat, sugars or sodium to display a front-of-package nutrition symbol.

The rules apply to qualifying products sold anywhere in Canada, from national supermarket chains to the independent grocers in Markham's plazas.

What the symbol looks like

The symbol shows a magnifying glass next to the words "High in," followed by the nutrient or nutrients that cross the limit: saturated fat, sugars, sodium, or a combination. It carries the words Health Canada and Santé Canada at the bottom and appears in both official languages.

On most packages it must sit in the upper half of the label, or in the right half if the label is wider than it is tall. Its size scales with the package.

Which foods need it

The symbol is required when a food meets or exceeds set shares of the daily value for any of the three nutrients:

  • 15 per cent of the daily value for most prepackaged foods

  • 10 per cent for foods with a small reference amount of 30 grams or millilitres or less, such as pickles, salad dressing or cookies

  • 30 per cent for main dishes with a reference amount of 200 grams or more

Health Canada says eating foods high in these nutrients often can increase the risk of stroke, obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some cancers. The symbol is meant to help shoppers spot those products at a glance.

What is exempt

A number of foods do not need the symbol, including fruits and vegetables without added saturated fat, sugars or sodium, raw single-ingredient whole cuts of meat, poultry and fish, plain milk, plain yogurt and cheese, and very small packages. Butter, sugar, salt, honey, maple syrup and vegetable oils are also exempt, as are individual portions served with restaurant meals, such as crackers with soup or creamers with coffee, and milk or cream sold in refillable glass containers.

The regulations came into force in 2022, giving manufacturers until the start of 2026 to update their packaging.