Apply for FLIP Software or Data Access
The Food Label Information and Price (FLIP) database is Canada’s most comprehensive database of packaged food and beverage nutrition information. Developed in 2010 by Dr. Mary L’Abbé at the University of Toronto, FLIP has tracked over 235,000 products from major Canadian retailers, providing essential insights into the evolving food supply. FLIP has also expanded to over 10 countries.
What Makes FLIP Unique?
FLIP is the only brand-specific, systematic food composition database in Canada. It offers detailed insights into national and private-label packaged food products, including:
✅ Product Details – Name, brand, company, UPC code
✅ Nutrition Information – Nutrition Facts table, ingredient lists, “As Consumed” values
✅ Food Labels & Claims – Front-of-pack systems, health claims, marketing to children
✅ Pricing & Packaging – Price, container size
✅ Longitudinal Tracking – UPC matching across years for trend analysis
Recent Research Using FLIP
FLIP supports research in food supply monitoring, policy evaluation, and modeling. Some recent studies include:
📌Healthfulness of major food brands under Health Canada’s nutrient profile model
📌Changes in sodium content of Canadian prepackaged foods (2013-2017)
📌Reformulation trends in Canada (2017-2020) and impact on food prices
📌Nutritional quality and pricing of plant-based dairy and meat alternatives
📌Comparison of the Canadian Nutrient File to the FLIP database
FLIP has expanded beyond Canada, supporting food label monitoring in Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, Ghana, the Philippines, and more.
Accessing FLIP Software & Data
FLIP software and data access are available to:
✅ Academic research groups
✅ Government and public health agencies
✅ Public-interest research organizations
✅ Trainees, with a faculty supervisor or principal investigator as the primary applicant
❌ FLIP is not intended for individual consumer use, commercial product lookups, one-time nutrition information requests, or commercial or for-profit applications. FLIP data may only be shared for public health research purposes.
FLIP access is provided through a cost-recovery fee to support project setup, data sharing or licensing agreements, software access, user onboarding, technical support, and hosting. Fees vary depending on the scope of the request and level of support needed.
Researchers interested in using FLIP should be prepared to enter into a data sharing or licensing agreement and confirm that project funding is available to support access fees.
FLIP Software & Features
Data Collector App
Web-based Software
FLIP Access Includes:
📱 Data Collector App – Capture and analyze food label data
💻 Web-Based Software – Advanced filtering, reporting, and team management
🔍 Customizable Filters & Reports – Search by keywords, date, food category, and more
🌍 Team Management – Admins can manage users and permissions
☁ Cloud-Based Hosting – Secure storage on AWS with audit and verification tools
📖 Training & Manuals – Access to step-by-step guides (available in English & Spanish)
🛠 Technical Support – Help desk support as needed
⚙ Country-Specific Customizations – Custom fields and algorithms available on request
Intellectual Property
FLIP tools are developed by the University of Toronto, but host countries fully own their collected data.
Need more information? Researchers and eligible organizations may apply for FLIP access or contact us for details about scope, eligibility, agreements, and cost-recovery fees.