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Bill C-59: What You Need to Know About Greenwashing

Important amendments to the Competition Act became law on June 20, 2024. With the introduction of Bill C-59, the Canadian government is cracking down on greenwashing, making it essential for businesses and professionals to reassess environmental claims about products.

Key Changes with Bill C-59

Effective June 20, 2024, Bill C-59 brings significant amendments to the Competition Act, focusing on misleading environmental benefit claims. The onus is now on businesses to prove that their environmental claims, such as those related to sustainability, carbon reduction, and energy efficiency, are backed by adequate and proper testing.

What This Means for the Food Industry

  • Environmental Claims: If you’re promoting environmentally friendly practices like sustainable sourcing or waste reduction, you’ll need proper documentation and testing to substantiate your claims.
  • Legal Risks: Starting in 2025, private parties (including environmental activists) can directly challenge misleading environmental claims. This increases potential legal exposure and reputational risks for businesses making unverified claims.

Practical Steps

  • Review all marketing materials related to environmental benefits.
  • Ensure that any environmental claims align with internationally recognized methodologies and can withstand scrutiny.

Bill C-59 signals a major shift in how environmental claims are regulated. Food industry professionals should act now to avoid greenwashing pitfalls and ensure compliance with these new provisions.

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Acknowledgement:

  • AI systems (ChatGPT) was used for editing and grammar enhancement.

Written by: Lucia Weiler, BSc, RD, PHEc – Award-winning dietitian and Owner, n4nn

The Buzz on Sustainability

Sustainability DFC event-1

Sustainability is HOT! Food industry leaders are responding to this ever growing consumer trend and making sustainability a top business priority. Responsible consumption is everyone’s responsibility and it encompasses concerns for people’s nutrition/health, for the welfare of animals and crops, for our communities and the environment overall. Here’s a selection of sound bites that we and other thought leaders tweeted from national events on sustainability food waste.

  • Features of a #SustainableHealthyDiet: reduce overconsumption; maintain a healthy weight; limit consumption of nutrient-poor foods; reduce food waste; conserve water and energy in the kitchen.” (DFC symposium)
  • $31 billion of #FoodWaste in Canada 2014. 53% of food waste is from fruits n veggies. Yikes! (DFC symposium)
  • #ReduceFoodWaste by eating leftovers, meal-planning, preserving food.” (DFC symposium)
  • ReduceWaste! Eat what you buy – a family of 4 throws away over 120lbs of food a month!” (DFC symposium)
  • Some work to do: Canada wastes 40% of food post-purchase.” (DFC symposium)
  • Wasting less food is not only important from a sustainability standpoint but also for budgeting.” (Conference Board of Canada, Ontario Agri-Food Education Inc. presentation)
  • Only “59 % of Canadians understand what organic food means” (Conference Board of Canada Report Card on Food)
  • Environmental footprint labelling is on the rise in grocery stores. Could this trend be here to stay?” (DFC symposium)
  • The food system of the future must be: nutrition sensitive; climate smart; secure the environment and our natural resources” (DFC symposium)
  • 5 top tips from 100 years ago that still apply today: (DFC symposium)
    • Buy it with thought
    • Cook it with care
    • Serve just enough
    • Save what will keep
    • Eat what would spoil