Hotel toiletries for Montreal and Quebec properties

Harrods Health makes private-label shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, body lotion and hand wash for Montreal and Quebec properties, with French and English labels printed in-house so the French text can be planned from the start. Your Quebec importer or distributor handles Health Canada notification and customs; we supply the formula and INCI information.

This page covers Quebec. For national rules and the other regions, see our Canada hotel amenities hub.

A market where French comes first

Federal rules already require mandatory cosmetic label information in English and French. Quebec adds the Charter of the French Language, which requires French on products sold in the province. In general terms, other languages may accompany the French but should not be given greater prominence. Rules on trademarks and generic terms have been tightened in recent years, so confirm the current position with your importer, a regulatory consultant or the guidance published by the Office québécois de la langue française.

For hotels this goes beyond the ingredient list. Scent names, product names on the front of the bottle and dispenser decals all need thought. Because we print and decorate packaging ourselves, we can set French as the lead language and keep layouts consistent across minis, dispensers and refills.

Who buys in Quebec

Montreal has a mix of large downtown hotels, design-led boutique hotels in older buildings and airport properties. Quebec City's old town has many small inns. Outside the cities, the Laurentians and the Eastern Townships have ski resorts, spas and lakeside lodges, and Charlevoix and the Gaspé have auberges, gîtes and seasonal coastal inns. Buyers range from hotel groups and management companies to independent owners who often order through a Quebec-based hospitality supplier.

Scent taste and seasons

Quebec buyers often look for a refined, slightly European profile: soft florals, herbs, light woods and fresh citrus. Ski resorts in the Laurentians and the Townships tend to prefer warmer notes for winter. We develop signature scents to your brief and can give each one a French name that reads well on the bottle.

Winters are long and cold, with freeze-thaw in spring. Emulsions such as lotion and conditioner can separate if they freeze, so stock should be kept in heated storage and winter deliveries planned with freeze protection.

Packaging, plastics and claims

Quebec is moving its curbside recycling system to an extended producer responsibility model, which can place obligations on brand holders or importers of packaging. The federal single-use plastics regulations do not list hotel toiletry bottles, but many Quebec hotels are choosing dispensers and refills anyway. If you say anything about recyclability or environmental benefit, the federal Competition Act expects it to be supported. Confirm the details with your importer or a consultant.

Who does what on a Quebec order

Your Quebec importer or distributor normally files the Cosmetic Notification Form with Health Canada within 10 days after the first sale and is usually named as the dealer on the label. We supply the formula, the INCI list and manufacturing documents, and check each formula against the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist. Health Canada has also amended the Cosmetic Regulations to require certain fragrance allergens to be disclosed above set levels, with a transition period, so tell us if your scent brief changes and we will send updated information. Hand wash is supplied as a cosmetic cleanser with no antibacterial claims; products making those claims need an NPN or DIN.

Getting product to Quebec

Quebec is usually served through the Port of Montreal on the St Lawrence or another East Coast port, then by rail or truck. Your importer of record and customs broker handle the CBSA entry and CARM accounting. We ship on treated wood packaging that meets the international standard and plan winter freeze protection. See fulfilment and export.

Ranges for Quebec often also go to Ontario or Atlantic Canada; see our Ontario page. Design bottles and decals on custom packaging, browse the hotel amenities range, check our quality and certifications, or start a brief on private-label hotel toiletries.