In 2008, the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education launched its new
Be Food Safe campaign that will use simple graphics and logos to convey to consumers
the four core safe food handling practices of clean, separate, cook and chill.

In the program that engages retailers and food vendors in the work of the Partnership, consumers can see the logos through in-store promotions, brochures, flyers, packaging, circular ads and other forms of customer outreach.  The approach provides consumers with a bright visual reminder of the importance of basic safe food handling practices to reducing risk of food-borne illness.

The Be Food Safe platform evolved out of the Partnership’s current CanFightBac program.  Be Food Safe was initially designed to meet the interests of retailers and food companies by the U.S. Partnership for Food Safety Education.  The Canadian Partnership purchased the rights to the iconic campaign materials and adapted them for the Canadian marketplace.  The Canadian Partnership decided to take a North American approach to this campaign to ensure consistency of messaging on the four core safe food handling messages between the US and Canada.  The benefit to the consumer is a consistent approach to food safety communication.

In order to provide incentive for individual companies to deepen their engagement with the Partnership over time, the Be Food Safe platform will be available for use to members of the Partnership in eligible membership categories.  The concept behind the Be Food Safe platform is to offer something attractive to and specifically designed for retailers, and food and consumer product companies that would involve these crucial partners to a greater degree in the work of the Partnership.

The Canadian Partnership sought direct input from Canadian consumers and Partnership members to test a graphic platform that would be attractive to retailers and food product companies for a variety of promotional applications – including on packaging.  The resulting quad icon and modular messages icons were designed specifically for use in retail stores and on product packaging.

The Partnership will continue to work with the Government of Canada to develop and execute complementary and mutually reinforcing activities in support of the Be Food Safe campaign.

As an eligible Partnership member, CPMA can now offer its members use of the Be Food Safe platform, which includes use of the graphics and logos. CPMA Members must sign a license agreement with the Canadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education. This agreement can be found at: http://www.befoodsafe.ca/uploads/BFS_Agreement_ENG_3_1.pdf

More information on Be Food Safe can be found on the following website: www.befoodsafe.ca