Understanding Sizing Requirements for Consumer Product Labeling in Canada
When introducing a new consumer product to the Canadian market, it’s important to understand what the labeling requirements are, and how they affect your product(s). In addition to the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act (CPLA), manufacturers of chemical products must comply with the specialized Consumer Chemicals and Containers Regulations, 2001 (CCCR, 2001) under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA) to ensure both safety and legal compliance.
CCCR, 2001: Hazard Labeling & Packaging for Chemical Products
Chemical products must adhere to CCCR, 2001, which mandates that labels clearly communicate the safety hazards of a product:
- The main display panel must include hazard symbol(s), signal word (e.g., “DANGER”), and the primary hazard statement(s).
- The hazard symbol must occupy at least 3% of the main display panel, with a minimum diameter of 6 mm, and must not exceed 50 mm for larger containers.
- Detailed safety information—such as hazard statements and first aid information—must appear in a secondary display panel, enclosed within a border, and the statements must be left justified for clarity and visibility.
Main (Principal) Display Panel
Under the CPLA, mandatory label elements include Product Identity (name of the product), Net Quantity, and Dealer Information. This information must appear on the main display panel, which is the visible part of the container under normal conditions of sale to the consumer. For cylindrical containers, this is calculated as 40% of the area. Which is determined by multiplying the circumference by the height of the display surface.
Minimum size requirements
The minimum type size for net quantity and product identity depends on the surface area sizing:
- ≤ 32 cm² → 1.6 mm
- 32 cm² & ≤ 258 cm² → 3.2 mm
- 258 cm² & ≤ 645 cm² → 6.4 mm
- 645 cm² & ≤ 25.8 dm² → 9.5 mm
- Sizing that exceeds the above values requires text to be at least 12.7 mm
Additional Requirements Under CCCR, 2001
- Child-resistant containers are mandatory for certain hazards (very corrosive, corrosive, or toxic), and must maintain their resistance throughout normal consumer use.
- Leak-proof design: liquid chemical products must pass the leakage test, where a container should not leak when sold or used under normal conditions of use. These requirements also apply to empty containers, that will be filled with the product. Single-use containers are exempt from this testing, if they are intended to be opened once and are not re-closeable.
- Language requirements: Like CPLA, required hazard information must be in both official languages of English and French in Canada.
How can we help?
Failing to comply with these requirements can lead to regulatory action, recalls, or import issues. Understanding these regulations are crucial to the safe, compliant distribution of your products across Canada. Contact us if you have any questions or need expert guidance on better understanding your product labeling needs.
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