Loblaws removing artificial colours and flavouring from products

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Loblaws removing artificial colours and flavouring from products

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A PC product with no artificial colours or flavours.)In response to a consumer

shift towards healthier eating, Loblaws has announced that they will be removing

all artificial colours and flavouring from their line of products.

**We are focused on food and committed to taking the lead on those issues of

importance to Canadians. We're also thinking more strategically about corporate

social responsibility and the areas in which Loblaw can have the greatest

impact,** Ian Gordon, senior vice president, Loblaw Brands, Loblaw Companies

Limited told Shine Canada.

As the Globe and Mail reports, Galen G. Weston, executive chairman of Loblaw

Cos. Ltd., made the announcement at the company's annual general meeting

Thursday.

According to Health Canada, food labels are required to declare whether or not a

product contains artificial flavouring, in both official languages. Artificial

colourings are a bit of a grey area, with the CBC reporting  in 2010 that

Health Canada says labels should be clearer but legislation hasn't changed as of

yet — although many manufacturers already voluntarily list these ingredients.

The move makes Canada's biggest grocer the first in the country to take such

wide-spread action on the issue.

The company plans to have all artificial colours in the President*s Choice line

removed by the end of this year, with all artificial flavours phased out by the

end of 2013.

**With an increased focus on health and wellness, we take our role in empowering

customers to make healthier choices and lead healthier lifestyles very seriously

and one of the best places to start is by making sure that our own portfolio of

products is the best that it can be,**  said Gordon.

PC products that will change include the Blue Menu, Organics and Green lines.

The company's No Name brand will not be affected. The President's Choice Zoo

Animals in the image above are just one example of a newly formulated product

containing no artificial colours or flavours.