It can be the best from the alleged increase in artificial prices in sliced bread.
Until Thursday, the claims process is now open for Canadians looking for their participation in a $ 500 million agreement in a demand for collective action related to the alleged solution of pricing bread throughout the industry.
Any eligible Canadian resident who bought packaged bread for personal use, which includes bread in bags, buns, rolls, bars, naan, English muffins, wraps, pita and tortillas, between 2001 and 2021 can claim compensation for the national settlement reached with Loblaw Companies Limited and the George Weston Ltd Matrix company ..
The forms can be found online in Canadianbbreadsettlement.CA for those who live anywhere in Canada out of Quebec from December 31, 2021 and in Quebecbreadsettlement.ca for those who live within that province on that date. Claims must be submitted before December 12, 2025, both websites notice.
“It has been a long time,” News Jay Strosberg told CBC, a lawyer who represents the plaintiffs in the demand for collective action.
Strosberg says that he hopes that millions of people can claim, and this will probably mean that people take several months to obtain their part, but what is the wait, “it will be worth it, hopefully.”
Jay Strosberg, a lawyer who represents the plaintiffs in the collective claim that accuses Loblaw of participating in a bread setting scheme, reacts to the approval of the $ 500 million agreement.
About class action
Collective demand accused Loblaw Companies Limited and his parent company, George Weston, to participate in a scheme of the entire industry to fix the bread price. The plaintiffs assumed that the companies participated in a conspiracy of pricing 14 years throughout the industry between 2001 and 2015, which led to an artificial increase in the prices of the packaged bread.
There are two settings of liquidation: one in Ontario, for all Canada out of Quebec, and another in Quebec only for Quebec residents.
The agreement was subject to the approval of the Court both in Ontario and Quebec and would only enter into force if both courts would approve it, says the law firm Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP in his own website of collective PAN action.
In May, the judge of the Superior Court of Ontario, Ed Morgan, approved the $ 500 million agreement in the case, which includes $ 404 million combined that Loblaw and George Weston after they were accused of participating in a scheme of the entire industry to fix the bread price.
The remaining $ 96 million are counted through a gift card program that Loblaw began in 2018 and extended until 2019 in the hope of making peace with customers who paid around $ 1.50 more per bread bar.
The Superior Court of Quebec approved the agreement in July and issued its sentence on August 11. Now that the 30 -day appeal period expired, people can make claims, Strosberg explained.
Strosberg added that it is the greatest pricing class action in Canadian history.
“It’s a big problem,” he said.
Canada Breta must pay a fine of $ 50 million for being part of a scheme to fix the price of the bread in Canada for 14 years. It is the highest fine that the competition office has collected. Andrew Chang explains how the scheme worked and why this can only be the beginning.
‘The action continues’
While pricing accusations were addressed to other important supermarkets, including Sebeys, Walmart, Giant Tiger and Metro, only Loblaw and their parent company have agreed an agreement. The others have denied accusations.
Canada Bread, which is also called accused, was fined $ 50 million in June 2023 after declaring himself guilty of four positions of pricing bread products under the competence law.
But that fine was for the government, not consumers.
“The action continues against everyone else. This is the first installment,” said Strosberg.
Customers who bought bread between January 2001 and December 2021 and did not previously take a Loblaw gift card will eventually receive up to $ 25. If there is still money after that distribution, the funds will be divided between anyone who claimed the gift card.
