Elbows Up Win
My local elbows up battle ended in a win this week. I live in a small town (6000pop) and we have 2 food retail stores to shop. The local Federated Co-Op and a Soby's affiliated Family Foods.
Both stores bring in bulk produce like corn and brussel sprouts. They will then repackage some of it in small wrapped and weighed units. But the labels never display the country or origin, and there is no primary shelf display panel.
I asked the managers of both outlets what the country of origin was on each product, and neither could tell me. Both managers brushed me off, and one was really rude about it.
I used the CFIA online reporting form found on their website and filed a complaint. I had a personal reply within 48 hours, saying they would look into it.
Yesterday, I noticed both stores now clearly displaying country of origin by placing a primary product panel with each pile of packed produce!
Stuff I learned in the process:
Open bulk produce does not require country of origin labelling. So the big bulk boxes of corn on the cob from Florida do not need to be declared.
But when you clean, prep, and package it in store, then the country of origin must be displayed either on the primary product panel or individually on the in-house label.
Asking the produce manager the country of origin of bulk produce i buy really pisses them off, but they have to disclose it when asked. If enough people keep asking, maybe they will consider voluntarily posting it and save the annoyance of people constantly asking. ;)