What is the required contextual statement?

As of January 1st, 2018 the following contextual statement must be displayed on menus or a sign that is visible when customers are ordering standard food items or serving themselves:

"Adults and youth (ages 13 and older) need an average of 2,000 calories a day, and children (ages 4 to 12) need an average of 1,500 calories a day. However, individual needs vary."

How must the contextual statement be displayed?

The contextual statement must be displayed:

  • On a menu, in close proximity to the standard food items listed on the menu; and in the same font and format, and at least the same size and prominence as the name or price of the standard food items listed on the menu (e.g. same colour, boldness, style, etc.).
  • Where an individual is able to order the food or drink or serve it for themselves and a menu is not visible, then it must be on a sign that is visible and legible to individuals where they can order or serve food or drinks for themselves.

If a menu has multiple pages, the contextual statement needs to be visible on any open page. If a menu board has multiple panels, the contextual statement must be visible to the customer when making their order, but may not need to be on every panel.

Owners or operators are exempt from posting the contextual statement for the following menus:

  • In-store advertisements, promotional flyers, circulars and magazines.
  • Advertisements, promotional flyers, circulars and magazines, online menus and menu applications that are distributed or available outside of a regulated food service premises and that do not have a price or do not provide a method to place an order.

Example #21: Displaying the contextual statement on a multi-page menu

Example #18: Displaying the contextual statement on a multi-page menu