Recent and repetitive complaints of misrepresentation of imported apples as Canadian-grown has pushed the British Columbia Fruit Growers’ Association (BCFGA) to complain to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). 

The BCFGA represents the interests of tree fruit growers, including apple producers across the Okanagan, Similkameen and Kootenay regions. 

“We are writing to formally report ongoing and repeated violations of federal labeling requirements in BC retail outlets, specifically concerning the misrepresentation of imported apples as Canadian-grown,” writes Adrian Aarts, executive director, BCFGA, in a letter released in the association’s weekly newsletter on September 26, 2025. 

“Over the past two weeks, our organization has received multiple complaints from growers and consumers about inaccurate country-of-origin labeling in stores. These complaints have been accompanied by photographs, which we have verified through direct in-person visits. In numerous instances, we observed imported apples from Washington State, New Zealand and Chile being labeled as “BC” or "Canada" product.

The mislabeling typically occurs in the following way:

● The primary signage above end-cap displays features “BC” prominently, suggesting local product.

● Secondary labels often read “Imported/Canada-BC,” a contradictory and misleading designation.

● PLU stickers on individual apples clearly identify Washington State, New Zealand or Chile packing houses as the source of the fruit.

This practice has been repeatedly documented over the past three years. The BCFGA has previously notified CFIA of these violations, but the problem persists. Despite past reports, Save-On-Foods and Superstore continue to market imported apples in a manner that misleads consumers into believing they are purchasing BC-grown fruit.

This misrepresentation has serious consequences:

● Consumer trust: Shoppers who want to support local farmers are being misled at the point of sale. This undermines public confidence in both labeling laws and the integrity of the food system.

● Market fairness: BC growers face higher costs of production compared to Washington State, and they rely on accurate country-of-origin labeling to compete fairly. Mislabeling erodes the economic viability of local farms.

● Reputation of Canadian agriculture: Repeated, uncorrected violations damage the credibility of Canada’s regulatory system in the eyes of both producers and the public.

The CFIA has a clear mandate to enforce the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, which require truthful and non-misleading labeling. Allowing continued violations creates a precedent that rewards retailers who flout these rules while penalizing those who comply.

The BCFGA requests the CFIA to:

1. Conduct immediate inspections of Save-On-Foods and Superstore locations across BC to verify the mislabeling of imported apples as local product.

2. Require corrective action to ensure that all imported apples are labeled accurately, and that signage does not mislead consumers into believing they are purchasing BC-grown fruit.

3. Issue penalties or sanctions where repeated or willful non-compliance is established.

4. Report back to industry stakeholders on the enforcement steps taken and the timelines for resolution.

The BCFGA urges the CFIA to prioritize enforcement. Without strong action, continued mislabeling will further erode trust in the system and jeopardize the livelihoods of BC apple growers who are already under significant financial strain.

Source:   BC Fruit Growers’ Association September 26, 2025 newsletter