Canadian Beverage Assn. supports move to classify energy drinks as food products; move will require food labels for energy drinks, including nutrition facts, ingredient listing, total caffeine content, which will be capped at 180 mg/single serving

Andrew Rogers

TORONTO , August 16, 2012 (press release) – The Canadian Beverage Association wishes to reiterate and make available its current position on energy drinks:

Health Canada announced in late 2011 its intention to transition energy drinks from Natural Health Products (NHPs) to food products. The Canadian Beverage Association (CBA) and its members support this decision and are working with Health Canada to ensure a smooth transition.

The change will closer align Canada with how energy drinks are classified in over 160 other countries around the world and will result in a number of changes to the product and its labelling. These changes will include:

• Energy drink labels will now carry food labeling, including a Nutrition Facts panel and ingredient listing along with a declaration of total caffeine from all sources. This change will allow our members to provide consistent and clear labeling similar to what consumers are accustomed to seeing on all other food and beverage packaging.

• Caffeine content will be capped both in total content - 180 mg maximum for single

serve, and by concentration at 400 mg per litre. These levels will bring the maximum allowable caffeine content in line with other caffeinated food products and will put energy drinks at a level similar to most commercially sold coffees.

• Vitamin and mineral levels will be set by Health Canada below maximum therapeutic levels.

The Canadian Beverage Association and its members look forward to working with Health Canada to ensure a science- and fact-based approach for the transition of energy drinks to where they belong under the food regulations.

The Canadian Beverage Association is the national trade association representing the broad spectrum of brands and companies that manufacture and distribute the majority of non-alcoholic liquid refreshment beverages consumed in Canada.

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