Maple Washing Complaints Rise 53% in Canada
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency logged 441 consumer complaints about maple syrup origin claims in 2026 so far.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Organic Food
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Consumer complaints about maple washing rose 53 per cent between 2025 and early October 2026, from 288 to 441, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Country-of-origin non-compliance cases in 2026 so far reached about 130, up 73 per cent from 75 in all of 2025.
Why it matters
Interest in buying Canadian has grown since the start of the trade war with the United States, and origin claims are a key point of trust for shoppers. The figures show more complaints are being filed, though the CFIA has not yet linked many of them to penalties.
The CFIA has received 675 origin complaints since November 2024, of which 205 were found to have merit and 233 involved missing information or were referred elsewhere. None of the 205 meritorious complaints has resulted in a monetary penalty, and the agency has not confirmed how many of the 12 companies given warnings and fines overlap with those complaints.
The players
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
The federal agency responsible for enforcing food labelling and origin rules in Canada, which investigates consumer complaints and issues warnings and fines.
Loblaw Companies Ltd.
One of Canada's largest grocery retailers, whose subsidiaries are included in the CFIA's list of companies that received warnings and fines.
Metro Inc.
A major Canadian food retailer and wholesaler whose subsidiaries are included in the CFIA's list of companies that received warnings and fines.
Empire Company Ltd.
The Canadian parent company of the Sobeys grocery chain, whose subsidiaries are included in the CFIA's list of companies that received warnings and fines.
The details
The CFIA looks into consumer complaints and records non-compliance cases from that review, while violations found during on-site inspections have led to warnings and fines for 12 companies since November 2024. The list of penalized companies includes subsidiaries of Loblaw Companies Ltd., Metro Inc. and Empire Company Ltd.
Timeline
November 2024: origin complaint counting begins following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump to a second term.
2025: 288 consumer complaints and 75 non-compliance cases are recorded.
January to early October 2026: 441 consumer complaints and about 130 non-compliance cases are recorded.
Industry Context
The federal government's Food Security Strategy pledged more than $3 billion over 10 years to expand domestic food capacity, a goal tied to the rising consumer interest in buying Canadian. The growing complaint volume suggests that demand for verified Canadian origin is outpacing the enforcement system meant to check those claims.
Shoppers buying maple products who want Canadian origin can check labels closely and compare grocery packaging before purchase. Because complaints are rising faster than penalties are issued, checking the origin statement directly remains the most reliable step for now.
The takeaway
Interest in verified Canadian food is strong, but complaint volume is rising faster than enforcement penalties. Reading origin labels carefully is the most practical way to match purchases to what you intend to buy.
Further reading
For more on how Canadian shoppers are checking food labels, see Organic Food.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Globe and Mail.
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