2025 showed a lot of promise in educating food dye harms to the general public. Red 3 was banned in January in the United States, and To Dye For: The Documentary was released. State-wide bills banning food dye were getting a lot of media attention; things were looking up. 

That's when I noticed Dare Cookies collaboration with Barbie and 4 new products chalk full of Red 3 in Canada for the first time. 

Could it be possible that corporations are already pivoting their strategy to sell red 3 to the Canadian market where it's still allowed? You bet. 

This isn't a coincidence, this is a calculated strategy. 

Dye manufacturers are banking on you not understanding the names of food dye in Canada. Red 3 also goes by erythrosine, and is present in all 4 of the cookies above. 

Dye manufacturers also included beet for colour in the above Bear Paws. This is done intentionally to trick the consumer into thinking natural dye is being used. The same cookies also contained erythrosine.

Dye manufacturers bank on the confusion around whether food dye is even legal in Canada, many consumers mistakenly think we don't even have it in our food system. 

Dye manufacturers project a 6 billion dollar increase in revenue for erythrosine over the next 12 years. That projection must include Canadian markets as American markets are out. Much of the existing erythrosine in the market is in medicine and meal supplement/shakes served in nursing homes and hospitals. 

My hope was that Health Canada would be influenced by the sweeping changes in America, and my hope is dashed. Now we all must be extra vigilant and double down on educating and spreading awareness.