What does 'designed in Canada' label even mean? 'It's insincere and an effort to mislead and manipulate,' expert says
As Canadian shoppers commit to boycotting U.S. products amid the ongoing tariff war, some are raising their eyebrows at some tactics companies are using to appear more Canadian than they actually are.
Reddit user MrIceCap (Canadian, much?!) posted a photo of a can of Campbell's soup on the popular "Loblaws Is Out of Control" group. The label states it is "designed in Canada," while just centimetres below, it states it is a "product of the U.S.A."
So, what gives? In an e-mail statement, a representative from Campbell's says 'Designed in Canada' describes a product that is created based on Canadian taste preferences, insights or recipes, and may contain Canadian ingredients, but is made elsewhere. They note that the label has been on their products since 2018.
While the company once had a manufacturing plant in Toronto, it shuttered in 2018. Campbell's does still have a Canadian office, located in the Greater Toronto Area.
Still, experts say this type of marketing in the current political climate is bound to be confusing.
'It doesn't mean anything really,' says Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. 'The origin of the product comes from Canada.'
He notes that Habitant soup, a company that originated in Quebec also has 'Designed in Canada' labeling. It was acquired by Campbell's in 1989, but is now manufactured in the U.S.
Another good question. The 'Designed in Canada' label indicates that the product was developed in Canada but may now be manufactured in the U.S. Traditional Habitant soup is a good example. pic.twitter.com/WbSNy8NQyh
— The Food Professor (@FoodProfessor) February 6, 2025
'It means it was created in Canada but was manufactured in the U.S. or elsewhere using foreign ingredients as well,' he says.
Markus Giesler is a professor of marketing at York University. He says 'Designed in Canada' is the least regulated of all designations of product marketing, describing the tactic as 'reaching' and a 'poor attempt at making a product as Canadian when it's not.'
'It just means that a part of the product was designed in Canada,' he says. 'The design process, the engineering, the artistic design, the styling of either the product or the labeling. That is Canadian. The products and the ingredients came from other parts of the world.'
He says companies are using this type of marketing to capitalize on patriotism on products that aren't even Canadian.
'Maybe they had a Canadian graphic designer, or photographer, or software engineer that contributed to this product,' he says. 'It's not about the product. It's insincere and an effort to mislead and manipulate.'
It's not about the product. It's insincere and an effort to mislead and manipulate.
The label of 'Designed in Canada' isn't unheard of in the marketing of known Canadian clothing brands, like lululemon or Aritizia, despite being manufactured abroad, Giesler says. He adds that other brands like mattress company Endy, jewelry company Mejuri and clothing retailer Frank and Oak have recently been magnifying the fact that they're Canadian companies, as patriotism spikes, despite manufacturing their products outside of Canada.
On its website, the Competition Bureau says a product that is making 'Made in Canada' claims must have accurate and truthful identification of country of origin and accurately reflect the production or activity that took place in Canada on labelling or marketing claims. If the product doesn't meet the criteria, it must use more specific terms to describe the process that took place in Canada, like 'Assembled in Canada' or 'Designed in Canada.'
Between November 1, 2024 and March 31, 2025, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency received a total of 64 complaints related to country of origin claims on food labels or in advertisements, including some related to "Product of Canada."
Consumers are encouraged to report any products believed to be mislabelled to the CFIA through their food complaint or concern web page.
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