By Times Chronicle Staff
Time is running out for Canadians to get a slice of the $500 million class action settlement agreed to by grocery giant Loblaw and its parent company, George Weston Ltd., related to the alleged two-decade-long, industry-wide price fixing of bread.
The alleged scheme to coordinate the price of bread is believed to date back to 2001, but Loblaw and George Weston told the Competition Bureau they were part of the practice in 2015.
The settlement ends one chapter in the saga but allegations remain that other large Canadian grocers, including Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, and Giant Tiger, also participated in the scheme, something they deny. Class actions continue against those companies.
Bakery giant Canada Bread Co. was fined $50 million after pleading guilty to four counts of price-fixing over 14 years, under the Competition Act as part of the Competition Bureau’s ongoing investigation. The penalty represents the highest fine the Competition Bureau has ever imposed.
The claims process opened in mid-September with a closing deadline of December 12, 2025.
Any resident of Canada who purchased packaged bread for their personal consumption in the period Jan. 1, 2001 to Dec. 31, 2021 inclusive, can file a claim for compensation.
Packaged bread includes bagged bread, buns, rolls, bagels, naan, English muffins, wraps, pita and tortillas. No proof of purchase is required, but claimants will be asked about their most recent packaged bread purchase and where it was bought.
There’s no limit on how many people in a single household can apply, but each claimant must be 18 years of age when applying and must have resided in Canada on Dec. 31, 2021.
The amount of each compensation is dependent on a few factors, including the number of claims approved by the Settlement Administrator. Claimants could receive at least $50, according to estimates.
Payment for the claims will be distributed between six to 12 months after the deadline, and will be deposited directly via Interac e-transfer or by cheque.
To submit a claim visit canadianbreadsettlement.ca .
