A government plan to require natural health products to be licensed by next spring could hurt stores and limit consumer choice, warns a local retailer.
Health Canada has been licensing the products — including vitamins and herbal remedies — since 2004, but many remain unlicensed. The problem is that Health Canada is facing a backlog of applications, says Liam Muzichuk of Community Natural Foods. “It seems to be taking an exorbitant amount of time to get these approvals.”
Of about 41,900 product applications it’s received, Health Canada says 30,500 have been dealt with and 20,700 products have been licensed. The industry is lobbying to have the enforcement deadline of April 2010 postponed so that products with pending applications don’t get pulled from shelves. “The Canadian Food Inspection Agency could come in and say, ‘Wait a second, you don’t have an [natural product number] on this product, so you’re not able to sell it,’” says Muzichuk.
The store is holding a public info session on the issue November 16.
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