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Label Requirements for Honey in Ontario

Author: OMAFRA Staff
Creation Date: 07 June 2006
Last Reviewed: 07 June 2006

Table of Contents

  1. Honey Regulation
  2. Main Panel Label Requirements
  3. Letter Size
  4. Box Labels
  5. Containers
  6. Complete Address
  7. Exemptions

Honey Regulation

Label requirements for honey are set out in Regulation 384 under the Farm Products Grades and Sales Act (FPGSA). The purpose of this regulation is to ensure that accurate information is provided to buyers of honey, as well as to promote fair trading practices and food safety. If you sell honey, this regulation applies to you.

This document is provided for informational purposes only. Please refer to the regulations for complete requirements.

Main Panel Label Requirements

The following information must be provided on the most visible label area (main panel):

  • The word "honey" or "comb honey" as appropriate

  • Honey class (if applicable) immediately preceded by the grade

  • Net weight of the honey in kilograms or, if the net weight is less than one kilogram, in grams, located immediately above, below or beside the word "honey" without any intervening written, printed or graphic matter

  • The word "liquid" where applicable

  • The word "pasteurized" where applicable, adjacent to and in letters of the same size and visibility as the class and grade designation

  • Name and address of the packer or person responsible for packing the honey (on the main panel of the label or any other panel except the bottom of the container)

  • In the case of comb honey, a notice that it may contain pollen cells

Main panel label requirements.

Text Equivalent

Letter Size

To ensure they are clear to the buyer, all label marks required by the regulation must be clearly and prominently displayed on each container and of the following minimum height:

Area of Main Panel Minimum Height
Up to 32 cm2 1.6 mm
Larger than 32 cm2 up to 258 cm2 3.2 mm
Larger than 258 cm2 up to 645 cm2 6.4 mm
Larger than 645 cm2 9.5 mm

Box Labels

Every box that contains graded and classified honey must be marked with the same markings as on the containers in legible block letters not less than 9.5 mm, as well as the:

  • Number and size of the containers therein
  • Net weight of the honey
  • Lot number

Containers

Permitted Consumer Container Sizes (net weight)

  1. Any size up to and including 150 grams
  2. 250 grams
  3. 330 grams
  4. 375 grams
  5. 500 grams
  6. 750 grams
  7. 1 kilogram
  8. 1.5 kilogram
  9. 2 kilograms
  10. 3 kilograms
  11. 5 kilograms

Complete Address

A complete address must include the following:

  • Name
  • Rural route number or postal box number or street address
  • Town or City
  • Province
  • Postal Code

Exemptions

Producers are encouraged to follow all main panel labelling requirements for all sales of honey. However, there are a few exemptions:

  1. For honey that is sold on the premises of the producer, directly to the consumer, only the following requirements apply:
    • The word "honey" or "comb honey" as appropriate
    • Name and address of the packer or person responsible for packing the honey
  1. For honey containers 150 grams or less, only the following requirements apply:
    • The word "honey" or "comb honey" as appropriate
    • Name and address of the packer or person responsible for packing the honey
    • In the case of comb honey, a notice that it may contain pollen cells
  1. Honey being transported in bulk containers is exempt from all labelling requirements.

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