Production Design Considerations for FOP Labelling

What production design considerations are important for Health Canada’s new front-of-package (FOP) labelling regulations on food?

Design Coherence

Health Canada’s front-of-package (FOP) labelling regulations are specific and unalterable. The challenge for CPG companies is adjusting space on the package to add the label without compromising the overall effectiveness or aesthetic appeal.

When adding new regulatory labels or information, maintaining design coherence and visual harmony with the existing package can be challenging. The new elements must blend seamlessly with the overall design. And package communication is important; the hierarchy and/or brand messaging may be affected and must be carefully considered in the redesign.

If the existing design is right-centric, intricate, or tightly packed, it can be challenging to incorporate additional elements without overcrowding the package.

And redesigning packaging to accommodate new regulatory information can sometimes impact the brand identity. Production designers must comply with regulations and preserve the brand's visual identity and recognition, such as logos, colours, and overall design aesthetics.

Multilingual Considerations

Place the new nutritional symbol on the principal display panel.

In Canada, regulatory labels must be presented in French and English. Health Canada’s FOP labelling guidelines provide a bilingual panel for products with one PDP; the corresponding FOP language label is used if the product has two PDPs.

Adding the FOP Label: Before & After

By January 1, 2026, foods high in sodium, sugars, and saturated fats will be subject to new front-of-package nutrition labelling regulations in Canada. Health Canada gives detailed specifications and templates in its Front-of-package nutrition symbol labelling guide for industry. As with most regulatory food labels, a brand cannot change the label's colour, type, size, or buffer zone.

We took the time to create some illustrations of the package design before and after placing the FOP label.

Disclaimer: This text and imagery are not intended to replace Front-of-package nutrition symbol labelling guide for industry.

Cost and Efficiency

Redesigning packaging involves costs and time, because it requires adjustments to the production process, namely the new prepress execution and plates. Designers need to consider the economic implications of the changes and find efficient ways to incorporate further regulatory information without causing significant disruptions or delays in production.

Meeting regulatory requirements is crucial, and production designers must ensure that all the necessary information is included accurately and in the required format.

Health Canada FOP Implementation Example

Here’s how Invok Brands would adapt CPG packaging to meet the new Health Canada FOP labelling requirements. First, production places the regulatory panels and labels atop the client’s die-line. The design team takes this as their design template and adaptation guide. By incorporating the regulatory elements first, no rework is needed. When production steps in first, the project is more cost-efficient. Government guidelines are very specific, so you don’t have any wiggle room.

In conclusion, production designers must consider various factors when adapting CPG packaging to comply with Health Canada's new front-of-package (FOP) labelling regulations. Design coherence, multilingual considerations, cost and efficiency, and preserving brand identity are critical factors. By incorporating regulatory elements first and finding efficient ways to include further information, production designers can comply with guidelines while protecting the brand's visual identity.

Ultimately, complying with these regulations can improve transparency and trust with consumers, benefiting businesses and consumers.

The experts at Invok Brands wrote this article to guide you through these regulations and see the possibilities to improve your branding and/or package design.

Read our short insights each month about front-of-package labelling in Canada.

Health Canada FOP Labelling: Production Design Considerations