Loblaws Canada Bread Price-Fixing Scandal

Loblaw Companies Ltd. was involved in a bread price-fixing scandal for over 14 years, between late 2001 and March 2015. The company was involved in a scheme to increase the prices of packaged bread. Loblaw's parent company, George Weston Ltd., the owner of Weston Bakeries, also participated in price-fixing with other big grocery chains and bread producers. The price-fixing scheme led to an increase in the price of bread by approximately $1.50. The companies believed to have participated in the scheme include two major bread suppliers and three retailers. The suppliers include Weston Bakeries and Canada Bread, while the retailers are Loblaw, Walmart, Sobeys, Giant Tiger, and Metro. The scheme involved an increase in the bread price by the suppliers by 7 cents, while the retailers hiked the price by 10 cents.