Health Canada's new front-of-package nutrition warning labels are beginning to appear on store shelves six months ahead of the food industry's deadline.

First announced in 2022, the black-and-white labels alert shoppers if a product is high in sugar, sodium and/or saturated fat — which the federal department says can lead to increased health risks like stroke, obesity, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and some types of cancers.

"I think these can be a really great starting poin…