Canada Updates Caffeinated Beverage Rules

August 31, 2026

Health Canada has modified the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients to allow certain caffeinated supplemented beverages to contain up to 30% fruit and/or vegetable juice, purée, pulp or nectar.

The change took effect on August 13, 2026, and expands formulation flexibility for eligible beverage manufacturers. However, restrictions on how these products may be represented and labelled remain in place.

Source: Health Canada, Modification to the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients: Caffeine and L-Asparagine, August 13, 2026.

What Changed for Caffeinated Supplemented Beverages?

Previous and Revised Juice Limits

Under the previous conditions of use, applicable caffeinated supplemented beverages could not contain 25% or more fruit and/or vegetable juice, purée, pulp or nectar, whether used individually or in combination.

The amended conditions now permit a combined amount of no more than 30%, as consumed. Health Canada applied the new limit to both caffeine entries C.1(1) and C.1(2) in Part IV of the List of Permitted Supplemental Ingredients.

Products Covered by the Amendment

The change applies to qualifying carbonated and non-carbonated water-based beverages within item 1 of the List of Permitted Supplemented Food Categories. Depending on the applicable caffeine entry, this may include beverages containing caffeine at levels up to 150 parts per million (ppm), as well as those containing more than 150 ppm and up to 400 ppm.

Products That Remain Excluded

Certain products remain excluded, including beverages represented for physical performance, hydration or electrolyte replacement, or as flavoured water or flavoured sweetened water. The specific scope and conditions of the applicable caffeine entry must therefore be reviewed before reformulating a product.

Juice-Related Terms Remain Restricted on Labels

Although qualifying products may now contain up to 30% juice-related ingredients, manufacturers cannot generally use the words “juice,” “purée,” “pulp” or “nectar” on the product label, including within the common name.

These terms may appear where required in the list of ingredients.

Rationale for the Labelling Restriction

Health Canada retained this restriction to prevent caffeinated supplemented beverages from being represented in a way that could suggest they are healthier or make them more appealing to children. Manufacturers should therefore distinguish between the amount of juice permitted in the formulation and the representations permitted on the label.

Other Caffeine Labelling Requirements

All other applicable caffeine conditions continue to apply, including required statements such as “contains caffeine” or “high caffeine content,” as well as prescribed cautionary statements where applicable.

What Does the Change Mean for Manufacturers?

Optional Adoption of the New Limit

The modification is permissive. Companies may adopt the new 30% maximum or continue producing beverages that comply with the previous limit.

Reformulation and Label Review

Manufacturers that reformulate a product should assess whether the change affects its nutrient composition, Supplemented Food Facts table (SFFt), ingredient list, common name or other label information. The finished product must continue to comply with all conditions associated with its supplemented food category and the applicable caffeine entry.

Editorial Corrections

Health Canada also made editorial corrections to align the English and French versions of the list. This included correcting the French unit of measurement for L-asparagine to milligrams. These editorial revisions do not establish new requirements or require reformulation.

How SNI Can Support Supplemented Beverage Compliance

Formulating a caffeinated beverage for the Canadian market requires careful alignment between its ingredients, caffeine content, product representations and labelling.

Source Nutraceutical, Inc. (SNI) supports companies with supplemented food classification, formulation assessments, caffeine condition-of-use reviews, SFFt development, label compliance and pre-market submissions. Our team can assess whether a beverage qualifies for the revised 30% limit and identify the regulatory requirements that must be addressed before reformulation or launch.

Book an introductory call using the following form:

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