Designing standout food packaging in Canada isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Between meeting Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) regulations, creating visual impact, and staying true to your brand story, there’s already a lot on your plate. Now, add the requirement to design in both English and French, and the creative challenge becomes even more complex.

If you’re a food or beverage brand aiming to thrive in the Canadian market, bilingual packaging is not just a nice extra. It’s both a legal necessity and a smart brand move. At NOVO MxC, we’ve helped many brands navigate the world of dual-language packaging without compromising creativity or compliance. In this article, we break down the most common challenges and offer practical solutions to help you handle bilingual packaging design like a pro.

Why Bilingual Packaging is Required in Canada

In Canada, food labels must include key information in both English and French. This includes the product name, net quantity, ingredients, allergens, and nutrition facts. These requirements are enforced by the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and overseen by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

If your products are being sold outside a single province, such as in both Ontario and Quebec, then this bilingual requirement becomes mandatory. You can dive deeper into the specifics on the CFIA’s Labeling Requirements for Foods.

Pro tip: Start your packaging process with bilingual layouts in mind. Trying to add French after the design is finalized in English often results in poor layout, confusing hierarchy, or missed compliance elements.

Challenge 1: Making Room for Double the Content

One of the most immediate challenges with bilingual packaging is fitting two sets of information into one limited space. This is especially tricky for smaller products like snack bars or pouches, where every inch counts. Suddenly, your minimalist design has to house double the ingredient lists, allergen warnings, and legal language.

How to fix it: Use a modular grid layout that organizes content cleanly and logically. Keep visual hierarchy in check with thoughtful font choices, whitespace, and grouping. When possible, merge bilingual titles like “Ingredients / Ingrédients” onto the same line to conserve space.

For layout inspiration and smart food packaging strategies, explore Packaging of the World or The Dieline.

Challenge 2: Maintaining Brand Voice Across Languages

What sounds cheeky and fun in English can often fall flat, or worse, sound awkward in French. Taglines and puns rarely translate directly, and when they do, they can lose their emotional impact. A tagline like “Spread the Love” may sound sweet in English but could feel clunky or impersonal when translated word for word into French.

How to fix it: Instead of direct translation, invest in transcreation. This is the art of adapting copy to preserve tone, personality, and brand emotion across languages. Work with bilingual copywriters who understand the nuances of French Canadian culture and consumer preferences. Tools like DeepL can assist with drafts, but human creativity is still key.

Challenge 3: Choosing Fonts That Support French Characters

Not all fonts are created equal. Some look beautiful in English but fail to support essential French characters like é, è, ç, and œ. This can result in broken text, compliance issues, and a sloppy final product.

How to fix it: Always select Unicode-compliant fonts that offer full Latin character support. Choose fonts that are legible and accessible, especially for required content like ingredients or allergen warnings. Use creative or decorative fonts sparingly, saving them for brand names or short taglines. Trusted font libraries like Google Fonts or Adobe Fonts make it easy to check language support in advance.

Challenge 4: Avoiding Translation and Compliance Errors

Getting the words wrong isn’t just a branding misstep. It can lead to customer complaints, lost trust, or even product recalls. French-speaking Canadians, particularly in Quebec, are highly attuned to language quality. Poor translations or inconsistent language use can come across as careless or even disrespectful.

How to fix it: Always work with certified translators familiar with both CFIA regulations and the specific language rules enforced in Quebec. The Office québécois de la langue française (OQLF) is the key regulatory body for this. Their official site includes guidance on language requirements in commerce and product labeling.

At NOVO MxC, we also offer packaging compliance review services to ensure your bilingual content meets federal and provincial standards before going to print.

Challenge 5: Managing Timelines and Production Costs

Adding bilingual content can increase the number of packaging revisions, lengthen approval timelines, and raise production costs. From additional copy reviews to changing dielines, these challenges can eat up your budget if not managed early.

How to fix it: Streamline your production workflow by planning for bilingual content from the beginning. Align your team with bilingual creatives, translators, and print vendors. Choose packaging formats that accommodate flexible layouts and test how both languages perform on your selected materials. For updates on print and production trends in Canada, check out Canadian Packaging Magazine.

The Opportunity: Reaching More Customers, More Meaningfully

While bilingual packaging may require more planning, it also provides more opportunity. Brands that take the time to do it well stand out across both English and French markets. Bilingual design builds credibility, expands your reach, and shows respect for Canada’s cultural diversity.

Let’s recap the key takeaways:

• Start with bilingual layout planning from the beginning.
  
• Use modular design to keep content clean and clear.
  
• Work with transcreation professionals, not just translators.
  
• Choose fonts that support accented characters.
  
• Double-check your compliance with both CFIA and OQLF guidelines.
  
• Build bilingual timelines into your production schedule.
  

Need Help? Let’s Design Something Delicious Together

At NOVO MxC, we don’t just make your packaging look good. We make sure it’s built to succeed in a competitive and bilingual Canadian marketplace. Whether you’re launching your first product or refreshing your entire brand line, our team can help bring your packaging to life.

We support food and beverage brands with:

• Strategic brand and product development
  
• Packaging that grabs attention and complies with regulations
  
• Custom websites and e-commerce platforms
  
• Professional food photography and video content
  
• High-quality animation and storytelling assets
  

Please give us a call at 416-892-2471 or reach out to us using the contact form at the bottom of this page.