Here's how to get a slice of the bread-fixing payout

CTV News

6 days ago

A worker re-stocks shelves in the bakery and bread aisle at an Atlantic Superstore grocery in Halifax on Jan. 28, 2022. (Kelly Clark / The Canadian Press)
Canadians who have purchased bread in the past two decades may receive cash from two class actions involving major grocery companies accused of overcharging.
For the Loblaw/Weston settlement to take effect, both courts in Ontario and Quebec must approve it.
The Ontario Superior Court on May 7 approved a $500-million settlement to a lawsuit that accused Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company, George Weston Ltd., of participating in an industry-wide scheme to fix the price of bread.
Meanwhile, the Quebec Superior Court will still need to approve the second agreement, its next hearing scheduled June 16, in order for the settlement to activate.
'This ($500-million national) settlement is not an admission by Loblaw/Weston of liability, fault, or wrongdoing, but is a compromise of disputed claims,' according to a Quebec settlement notice online.
The notice states that if the settlement in both class actions is approved, 78 per cent of the funds will go towards the Ontario claims affecting residents in most of the country and 22 per cent will be allocated to the Quebec claims. The settlement will be distributed once legal fees, administration and other expenses, approved by the courts, are paid.
Who is eligible for the payout?
Eligible individuals and businesses are automatically included in the Ontario Loblaw/Weston settlement class action.
Those who may receive the payouts include individuals or businesses who purchased packaged bread produced or distributed by one of the defendants, either directly or indirectly, in Canada between Jan. 1, 2001 and Dec. 31, 2021, and who didn't receive a Loblaw gift card as part of a 2018-2019 campaign to compensate customers who paid about $1.50 more per loaf of bread.
Additionally, eligible people must have resided anywhere in Canada, except Quebec, as of Dec. 31, 2021. Defendants in the lawsuits and related parties are excluded.
The eligible packaged bread includes products and bread alternatives produced by or distributed by any of the 'current or future defendants' in the class actions, excluding bread that is frozen when sold and bread baked on site, according to the Ontario class action website.
The amount received per person will depend on the number of claims made that are approved.
The Quebec class action is similar to the Ontario claims, but it only includes residents of Quebec who bought at least one package of bread from Jan. 1, 2001 to Dec. 19, 2019.
Check out more information and sign up for updates about next steps by visiting the following websites:
How do I make a claim?
You don't have to do anything yet to be part of the Ontario claim and the deadline to opt out of or object to this approved settlement already passed on April 25.
Similarly, you are automatically included in the Quebec claim, but if you want to opt out of or object to it, you have until May 30 to do so.
The claims process is still to be determined in both cases. A legal notice or claim forms will be provided once the settlement is approved by both courts in Ontario and Quebec.
With files from The Canadian Press