At Canadian supermarkets, numerous shoppers have been “maple-washing” their fruits and vegetables, which essentially means disguising American produce as local by using Canadian branding.
Despite these complaints from consumers, the Canadian Food Watchdog hasn’t issued any fines or consequences.
Canadians, eager to support local products, are understandably upset with retailers that attempt to obscure “USA Product” labels by adding red maple leaves and other Canadian symbols.
In many stores throughout Canada, shelves filled with local produce quickly sold out, often right next to fully stocked displays of American options.
Trade relations between the two countries have improved somewhat, and while there’s no current threat of Canada becoming the 51st state, many Canadians still strongly prefer their domestic goods.
News regarding 45 stores across the country facing no repercussions for misleading practices has left some shoppers quite frustrated.
“Is this scam acceptable now?” one annoyed Canadian remarked on Reddit.
“The system is rigged,” sighed another.
“Is there still a class-action lawsuit for this?” questioned yet another consumer.
The term “maple washing,” created during recent trade tensions, refers to putting a red maple leaf sticker on products imported from the US.
Some individuals suggested that common sense could play a significant role here. “Who’s even more naïve?” one shopper wondered. “Do people really think that tropical items like avocado oil are actually sourced from Canada?”
They also referenced a situation earlier this year with the Canadian grocery chain Sobeys, where a regulatory agency chose not to penalize the company for placing maple leaf stickers and “Made in Canada” labels on imported avocado oil.
Shoppers even highlighted instances where carrots were marketed as “Canadian products,” despite originating from the United States, as indicated by a small blue tag.
One user warned that labeling is an ongoing issue, especially after noticing a “mysterious cherry” in local stores lacking any signs of origin.
Since the start of the year, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has dealt with a surge in complaints regarding labeling, with agents receiving over 70 inquiries in just July and August.
