Consumers are going to have an easier time buying Canadian food products.

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced a new initiative that will make it easier for people to identify Canadian food products at the store.

"In order for consumers to buy these products it has to be clearly marked on the front of the label, but often times those statements are on the back of the product, where based on our research, consumers don't notice them and therefore it does not have a positive impact on the sale of the products," explains Jason Baillargeon, Deputy Director for Domestic and Brand Research of Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.

There were pilot projects that clearly identified Canadian products in several stores in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario and British Columbia.

Sales of the featured Canadian food products went up significantly, showing consumers prefer to buy Canadian products if they can easily identify them.

"We're trying to get Canadian companies, both producers and farmers and processors to identify their products as Canadian," says Baillargeon. "This would take advantage of the research we've done that shows that there's a preference on consumers to buy Canadian food products."

Baillargeon says they really want to show consumers that when they are buying Canadian food products, they are buying the absolute best food products available. "Producers and processors go to great lengths to bring high quality food to the Canadian dinner table."

The in-store promotion is being extended across Canada to a total of 65 stores before Canada Day.