Bread Price-Fixing Payout Deadline Approaches for Canadians
So here’s something a lot of people across Canada might not want to miss. A massive settlement—worth half a billion dollars—is finally reaching its deadline, and it’s all connected to the long-running allegations of bread price fixing. Yes, bread. Something as basic as a loaf on your kitchen counter became the centre of a huge industry scandal, and now Canadians who bought packaged bread over the last two decades can claim compensation. But the clock is almost out.
This settlement came after years of accusations that several major grocery chains and bread suppliers took part in an industry-wide scheme that artificially inflated the price of packaged bread products. Companies like Loblaw and its parent company, George Weston Ltd., were named in the class-action lawsuit, and eventually a settlement was reached. A combined $404 million is being paid by those companies, and the remaining $96 million is tied to a gift card program Loblaw launched back in 2017. Altogether, it forms the $500-million compensation pool that Canadians are now able to claim from.
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The claims window opened in September, and it officially closes on Friday, December 12. Anyone living in Canada who bought packaged bread for personal use between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2021 can file a claim. And the list of eligible items is pretty broad: everything from regular bagged loaves to buns, rolls, bagels, naan, English muffins, wraps, pitas, and tortillas. And here’s the part that surprises a lot of people—no proof of purchase is required.
Eligible residents simply need to fill out a claim form online. There’s one website for people living anywhere outside Quebec as of December 31, 2021, and another for those living in Quebec on that date. Once the forms are in, the settlement administrator reviews them and decides how much compensation each person receives. Those who didn’t previously take a Loblaw gift card could receive up to $25. Claims usually take a while to process, so payouts are expected around six to twelve months after the deadline passes.
One important detail: minors cannot file claims. And if someone did previously take part in the Loblaw Card Program, they can still apply for this settlement, but they’ll only receive additional compensation if there’s enough money left in the settlement fund after all claims are accounted for.
This settlement marks a turning point in a bigger story that involved allegations against several major grocers—Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Canada Bread, and Giant Tiger were all named. The Competition Bureau began its investigation back in 2016, and court documents later suggested that at least $1.50 was added to the price of a loaf through the price-fixing scheme. Some companies admitted their involvement, cooperated, and received immunity, while others later faced fines—including a record-setting $50-million penalty against Canada Bread in 2023.
So if you’ve been buying bread anytime in the last twenty years—which, let’s be honest, is pretty much everyone—this is the last chance to claim your share before the window closes.
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