Nova Scotia’s Oxford Frozen Foods has been penalized $10,000 for incorrectly labeling its blueberries as Canadian amid a growing preference for local products. This fine is part of a larger sum of $47,000 imposed on five companies by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency since April 2025 due to inaccurate country of origin claims. The agency emphasized the importance of providing consumers with reliable origin labels to enable informed purchasing decisions.
Oxford Frozen Foods, known as the world’s top wild blueberry supplier, operates in the Maritimes and the United States. The company processes blueberries, carrots, and battered appetizers in Oxford, N.S., with additional facilities in Halfway River, N.S., Bois-Gagnon, N.B., and Maine for storage and manufacturing.
The CFIA disclosed that Oxford Frozen Foods was fined the previous September but did not specify the reasons behind the penalty. The agency reiterated its commitment to addressing concerns related to misleading origin claims through inspections and responses to complaints. Other businesses fined for mislabeling included a Loblaw-owned grocery store in Etobicoke, Ont., an unidentified Real Canadian Superstore, a Calgary enterprise, and an Edmonton-based food supplier, involving items such as banana bread, ghee, broccoli slaw, and cheese.
Despite requests for comment, Oxford Frozen Foods remained silent. The push for buying Canadian goods gained momentum in response to trade tensions with the U.S. in the preceding year. Notably, the Nova Scotia government introduced a $300,000 pilot program in February 2025 to aid consumers in identifying local products while shopping.
To assist consumers further, the CFIA offers an online guide for determining a product’s origin. The agency’s efforts align with the increasing demand for transparent labeling practices in the food industry.