Tampon Labels Must List Ingredients

Summary#

This bill amends Canada’s Food and Drugs Act to require menstrual tampon labels to list the substances they contain. It also clarifies that any device not labelled as required by the Act or regulations is considered mislabelled for enforcement. The rule takes effect 18 months after Royal Assent.

• Labels on menstrual tampons must list the substances in the product (s.20(3)).
• Non‑compliant tampons are treated as mislabelled devices under the Act (s.20(2)).
• The term “substances” is not defined in the bill (s.20(3)).
• The bill adds a disclosure rule; it does not restrict which ingredients may be used (s.20(3)).
• The change applies 18 months after Royal Assent (Coming‑into‑Force).

What it means for you#

• Households

  • You will see a list of substances on tampon labels once the rule takes effect. This is meant to help you make informed choices (s.20(3); Preamble). Timing: 18 months after Royal Assent (Coming‑into‑Force).
  • The bill does not change product availability or set safety limits. It requires disclosure only (s.20(3)).

• Businesses

  • Manufacturers and importers of tampons must add a list of substances to labels and ensure accuracy (s.20(3)).
  • Tampons sold in Canada after the effective date must meet this labelling rule. Otherwise, they are deemed mislabelled under the Act (s.20(2)–(3)).
  • Firms may need to update packaging, manage existing inventory, and maintain records to support label content. The bill does not specify format or thresholds (s.20(3)).
  • Retailers should plan to sell through or relabel non‑compliant stock before the deadline (s.20(2)–(3); Coming‑into‑Force).

• Regulators

  • Health Canada gains a clear basis to treat missing substance lists as a labelling violation for devices, including tampons (s.20(2)–(3)).

• Local and provincial governments

  • No new duties are assigned by this bill. It is a federal labelling rule (entire bill).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable.

• No fiscal note identified. Data unavailable.
• No appropriations or new fees/taxes are in the bill. It creates a labelling requirement only (entire bill).
• Government enforcement or oversight costs: Data unavailable.
• Industry compliance costs to redesign labels and document substance lists: Data unavailable.

Proponents' View#

• Improves transparency so people can make informed choices about menstrual products by seeing what is in them (Preamble; s.20(3)).
• Builds on past labelling for absorbency and toxic shock syndrome, which the preamble links to increased awareness and positive health outcomes (Preamble).
• Creates a clear, enforceable requirement by tying tampon labels to device labelling rules under the Act (s.20(2)–(3)).
• Provides an 18‑month lead‑in, giving manufacturers time to adjust packaging and supply chains (Coming‑into‑Force).
• Limits regulatory burden by requiring disclosure only; it does not ban ingredients (s.20(3)).

Opponents' View#

• The bill does not define “substances,” which may cause uncertainty on what must be listed (e.g., base materials, additives, processing aids, trace residues) and lead to uneven compliance (s.20(3)).
• Packaging space and readability could be strained by long lists, making labels harder to understand. The bill gives no formatting guidance (s.20(3)).
• No explicit protection or exemptions for confidential business information are included, which may raise trade‑secret concerns (s.20(3)).
• Enforcement and oversight will expand to a new labelling element, but no resources are specified; risk of under‑enforcement or compliance delays (s.20(2)–(3)). Data unavailable.
• The fixed 18‑month deadline may force disposal or rework of existing packaging and inventory if supply chains cannot transition in time (Coming‑into‑Force).