Stop Peddling Products Containing Animals to Unsuspecting Consumers

Target: Dr. Siddika Mithani, President of Canadian Food Inspection Agency

 Goal: Make labeling products containing animal and animal by-products mandatory in all industries.

The interest in consuming ethical and plant-based food is steadily rising. While some products are clearly labelled as “vegan,” most consumers have to carefully read ingredients to find appropriate food. Even certain fresh vegetables are contaminated with animal products, such as apples preserved in beeswax, or broccoli covered or coated in milk products. The government should institute mandatory labeling laws that inform consumers if an item contains any animal product or by-product.

The newly updated Canada Food Guide endorses a predominately plant-based diet, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency claims that the label on food packaging is the best means of communication between producers and consumers. Yet these two facts do not work together in the grocery store where it is often difficult to find food free of animal products.

This goes far beyond food, and is a similar issue in other markets, such as apparel, beauty and hygiene items, and even many home and auto products. Many items in these categories are derived from animals, yet there are no labeling laws in place that would inform an unsuspecting shopper of the unethical product they are about to purchase. Especially during these trying days of the global pandemic, clearly labeled products would alleviate the need for continual handling of items to check ingredients.

With the national trend heading towards plant-based products, it is time the industries conformed to the ethical inclinations of the people. Sign this petition to call on the government to enforce labeling any product if it contains animal derived ingredients.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Dr. Mithani,

The newly updated Canada Food Guide encourages a plant-based diet. Furthermore, many consumers are searching for ethical products that are not made from animals or animal by-products. This includes beauty, apparel, hygiene, home and auto industries as well. While some products are labelled “vegan,” this is voluntary and many consumers have to carefully read labels to find cruelty-free products. This is particularly apparent on items such as apples covered in beeswax, or broccoli that is coated in milk.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency presents food labels as the best means of communication between producers and consumers, yet it allows many products to be scarcely labeled, and consumers often purchase undesirable products unawares. If companies producing food and other items were obliged to label if their products contained animal derived components, then these companies would be more accountable for their unethical production methods.

Consumers deserve to know what is in their food, and in all other items that they purchase. I urge you to implement nationally mandatory laws that require items containing any animal derived ingredient to be labelled as such.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Gerd Altmann