EXPLORE OUR ATTRIBUTES!

Products with this label do not contain gluten. Gluten is a type of protein that is found in certain grains such as barley, oats, rye, triticale and wheat (including spelt and kamut).

People diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder, should avoid eating foods containing gluten.

Metro recognizes the following gluten-free logos:

• Gluten-Free Certification Program (GFCP)
• Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO)
• Gluten-Free Metro
• Certification AFDIAG

Products with this label do not contain lactose. Lactose is the main sugar found naturally in milk and other dairy products. People with lactose intolerance aren’t able to easily digest lactose.

Products with the vegetarian label do not contain meat, poultry, fish or seafood as these ingredients are restricted when following a vegetarian diet (lacto-ovo vegetarian). The vegetarian diet does include dairy products, honey and eggs.

The vegan diet excludes all animal products. The vegan label identifies products that are free from meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy, honey, or any other animal derived ingredients (for example, gelatin).

Metro recognizes the following vegan certifications:

• Certified Vegan
• Vegecert
• Vegan Society
• Vegan Metro

Products with this attribute contain at least 95% organic content and must be certified under the Canada Organic Regime. Products that are classified as organic meet strict limits and prohibitions on the use of GMOs, synthetic chemical fertilizers, and chemical pesticides used for eliminating unwanted animals, insects, and plants. Organic farmers must comply with rigorous standards to ensure the health and well-being of animals.

This label identifies products that are made from whole grain ingredients and specifically include whole grain ingredients as their first ingredient. A whole grain includes all three parts of the kernel (or seed) of the grain: germ, bran and endosperm.

Products with the fat free label contain less than 0.5 grams of fat per reference amount and serving size.

FODMAP is an acronym for certain types of carbohydrates found in foods.

F = Fermentable (quickly fermented by intestinal bacteria)

O = Oligosaccharides (fructans and galacto-oligosaccharides, or GOS)

D = Disaccharides (lactose)

M = Monosaccharides (fructose)

And

P = Polyols (sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, and maltitol)

The low FODMAP diet was designed to reduce the symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Products with the low FODMAP label are suitable for those looking to eat products low in FODMAPs.

Products with this attribute are suitable for people following the paleo diet. These products do not contain alcohol, cereals, starches, legumes, dairy products, refined oils, additives, preservatives, artificial colours, or artificial flavours. The paleo diet excludes most processed foods and is often low in carbohydrates, but high in fat and protein.

The ketogenic (or keto) diet was originally developed to help reduce the frequency of seizures in children with epilepsy. It involves drastically reducing your intake of high-carbohydrate foods, like grains, and replacing them with high-fat foods. The keto label indicates that these products contain less than 6 g of net carbohydrates per serving. Net carbohydrates represent the total amount of carbohydrates minus fibre.

Vegetarians who also eat fish and seafood are called pescatarians or pesco-vegetarians. The pescatarian label identifies products that do not contain meat and poultry or ingredients made from meat and poultry. Fish, seafood, eggs, dairy and bee products are permitted in these products.

This label identifies products that are free from all sweetening ingredients. These products do not contain artificial sweeteners (e.g. aspartame, Splenda), natural sweeteners (e.g. agave), sugar ingredients and sugar alcohols (e.g. sorbitol). However, they may contain naturally occurring sugars (e.g. unsweetened apple sauce).

This label identifies products containing ancient grains in their ingredients. Ancient grains are grains that have been planted and harvested for thousands of years. Some common ancient grains include amaranth, barley, buckwheat, farro, kamut, purple corn, quinoa, spelt, sorghum, teff and wild rice.

This label evaluates the ingredients listed and identifies products that are free from artificial colours, artificial flavours, and artificial preservatives.

Products with this attribute do not contain any added flavouring ingredients, including artificial flavours, flavouring agents, and artificial chemical flavourings.

Products with this label don’t contain any artificial colour ingredients.

Products with this attribute do not contain any preservatives.

Products with this attribute do not contain any naturally occurring or added caffeine, nor any theobromine or its derivatives.

Products with this attribute do not contain artificial nitrate or nitrite ingredients. The food industry uses nitrates and nitrites as preservatives, especially in cold cuts, bacon, and ham. They are used to preserve food, make it more appealing, and retain nutrients. Products with this attribute may contain ingredients that have naturally occurring nitrites or nitrates, like celery extract.

Products with this label don’t contain added palm oil and palm fat ingredients. Palm oil is used widely in our food system and can be found in many processed food products including margarines, cookies, chips and crackers.

Products with the plant-based label include those that can be part of a plant-based diet and do not contain meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy or any other animal derived ingredients. The plant-based diet is made up of mostly plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes (lentils, dried beans and peas), nuts and seeds.

Products with this attribute do not contain tartrazine. Tartrazine is a synthetic yellow-orange dye used in the food industry. It has been associated with adverse reactions among consumers who are sensitive to it.

A serving of this product provides 5% or more of your recommended daily amount of Vitamin C .

A serving of this product provides at least 30% or more of your recommended daily amount of Vitamin C .

A serving of this product provides at least 50% or more of your recommended daily amount of Vitamin C .

A serving of this product provides 5% or more of your recommended daily amount of iron.

A serving of this product provides at least 15% or more of your recommended daily amount of iron.

A serving of this product provides at least 25% or more of your recommended daily amount of iron.

A serving of this product provides 5% or more of your recommended daily amount of calcium.

A serving of this product provides at least 15% or more of your recommended daily amount of calcium.

A serving of this product provides at least 25% or more of your recommended daily amount of calcium.

Products with this label don’t contain added sugars and ingredients with added sugars. However, they may contain naturally occurring sugars or sugar substitutes.

Products with this label contain at least 2 grams of fibre per reference amount and serving size. Daily fibre requirements for adults range from 21 g to 38 g depending on your age and gender.

Products with this label contain at least 4 grams of fibre per reference amount and serving size. Daily fibre requirements for adults range from 21 g to 38 g depending on your age and gender.

Products with this label contain at least 6 grams of fibre per reference amount and serving size. Daily fibre requirements for adults range from 21 g to 38 g depending on your age and gender.

Products with this label contain less than 5 mg of sodium per reference amount and serving size. The body needs only a small amount of sodium to function properly. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure, a major risk factor for stroke, heart disease and kidney disease. Most of the sodium we consume comes from processed foods.

Products with this label have a protein rating of 20 or more per reasonable daily intake, or per 30 g combined with 125 mL of milk if the food is a breakfast cereal.

Products with this label contain 20 mg or less of cholesterol per reference amount and serving size and, if the reference amount is 30 g or 30 mL or less, per 50 g. The product must also be low in saturated fat (i.e., combined amount of saturated and trans fatty acids per reference amount and serving size is 2 g or less and the food provides no more than 15% energy from the sum of saturated and trans fatty acids).

Products with this label are kosher certified. They comply with the religious requirements for kosher certification.

Products with this label comply with the religious requirements for halal certification.

Fair trade is a trading partnership, based on dialogue, transparency, and respect, which seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions for, and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers, especially in the Global South. In short, fair trade allows producers to live decently and promotes an economy based on economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights.

The fair trade attribute indicates products that are certified fair trade. Metro recognizes the following certifications:

Products with this label are Non-GMO Project Verified and compliant with the Non-GMO Project standard. Genetically modified organisms, also known as GMOs, are organisms (like plants, animals) whose genetic material (DNA) has been changed to give new characteristics that would not occur naturally. GMOs can have their genetic material changed for 3 reasons: to introduce a desirable characteristic (making crops resistant against certain plant diseases), to remove an undesirable characteristic (for example, to prevent browning in apples) or to enhance a desirable characteristic that occurs naturally.