Latest news with #pricefixing
National Post
2 days ago
- Business
- National Post
How to get your slice of the $500-million bread-fixing class-action settlement
Canadians who bought packaged bread in the past two decades may be eligible for a cash payout from a $500-million bread-fixing class action settlement. Article content Article content Earlier this month, the Ontario Superior Court approved the national settlement of 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. Article content The Quebec Superior Court still needs to approve a second agreement applicable to residents of that province, during its next hearing on June 16. Article content Seventy-eight per cent of the funds are allocated to the Ontario class (covering all of Canada except Quebec), and 22 per cent to the Quebec class. Article content Eligible bread includes most packaged bread products found in grocery store aisles (e.g., sliced sandwich bread, buns, rolls). Article content Eligible claimants include individuals or businesses who purchased packaged bread, produced or distributed by one of the defendants, in Canada between Jan. 1, 2001 and Dec. 31, 2021. Article content Claimants to the Ontario settlement who bought the product for personal use must have resided in Canada (excluding Quebec) as of Dec. 31, 2021. Article content A claimant who received a $25 Loblaw gift card in 2018–2019 will still be eligible, but the gift card amount will be deducted from any payout. Article content Article content If you do not have receipts, you can still file a claim. The settlement does not require proof of purchase for claims up to a certain amount (typically $25), but you may be asked to provide details about where and when you usually bought bread.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Business Matters Trump, tariffs, and legal troubles
After US President Donald Trump's tariff policy got a last minute reprieve in the federal courts, we unpick the latest twist in American trade policy. Meanwhile, we hear from an international student at Harvard University caught up in the institution's legal battle with the Whitehouse. Elsewhere, we can reveal how western countries are helping fund Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. And Devina Gupta speaks to the attorney at the centre of the 'largest settlement of a price-fixing case in Canadian history' that's worth $500-million. Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.
CBC
5 days ago
- Business
- CBC
How you can get your dough in the $500M Loblaw bread-fixing settlement
Social Sharing Have you bought bread in the past 20 years? Then you're probably included in what's being called the "largest settlement of a price-fixing case in Canadian history." A $500-million settlement in the long-running Loblaw bread-fixing case was approved by Ontario Superior Court Judge Ed Morgan on May 7, saying the money put forward by the grocery companies was "an excellent and fair result for all concerned." The class-action lawsuit accused Loblaw Companies Limited and its parent company, George Weston, of engaging in an industry-wide scheme to fix the price of bread. The plaintiffs alleged companies participated in a 14-year industry-wide price-fixing conspiracy between 2001 and 2015, leading to an artificial increase in packaged bread prices. Jay Strosberg, a lawyer representing plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit, told CBC's Hanomansing Tonight Monday that the sheer size of the settlement is significant, as well of the scope in terms of how many people were affected. "We're talking about almost everyone in the country who is probably impacted by this conspiracy," Strosberg said. WATCH | The largest settlement in history, says bread-fixing lawyer: Loblaw bread-fixing case 'largest settlement' in Canadian history, says lawyer | Hanomansing Tonight 17 hours ago Duration 6:04 How do I know if I'm eligible? There are two settlement classes: one in Ontario, for all of Canada outside Quebec, and one in Quebec for Quebec residents only. To be eligible in this current settlement, you must be a Canadian resident outside of Quebec who purchased packaged bread between Jan. 1, 2001, and Dec. 31, 2021, that was produced or distributed by a defendant (Loblaw and its parent company), according to the official bread settlement website. To be eligible for the Quebec class action you must be a resident in Quebec who purchased at least one package of bread between Jan. 1, 2001, and Dec. 31, 2021. The Ontario settlement was approved May 7. A Quebec court will hear arguments around whether to accept the Loblaw and George Weston settlement on June 16. While the price-fixing allegations targeted other major grocers, including Sobeys, Walmart, Giant Tiger and Metro, only Loblaw and its parent company have agreed to a settlement. The others have denied the allegations. Canada Bread, which is also named as a defendant, was fined $50 million in June 2023 after pleading guilty to four counts of price-fixing bread products under the Competition Act. But that fine went to the government, not to consumers. WATCH | Breaking down Canada Bread's role: Breaking down the Canada Bread price-fixing scandal | About That 2 years ago Duration 10:35 Do I have to do anything? If you bought bread in the last 20 years, you're automatically included in the settlement classes. The date to opt out of the Ontario settlement has already passed. If you wish to opt out of the Quebec settlement, you have until May 30. But you'll eventually have to register on one of the Canadian bread settlement websites to make an official claim, Strosberg explained (which you can only do once the settlements have been approved). As of Tuesday, the Ontario website notes the claims process is still being determined. Do I need my receipts? For 20 years of bread? The May 7 settlement documents don't mention receipts anywhere under the section on the rules of consumer distribution of the funds. The documents note consumers over the age of 18 will have to submit a claim and provide "information and/or documentation as may be required." In previous interviews, lawyers for the plaintiffs have explained that people can't be expected to hold onto receipts for so long and therefore won't need to provide that kind of proof. Previously, Strosberg has said he expects consumers will need to fill in a one-page form to declare they bought packaged bread. On Monday, Strosberg agreed with host Ian Hanomansing saying, "Obviously, I won't need receipts," by answering, "Correct." What's in the settlement? The approved settlement includes a combined $404 million to be paid by Loblaw and George Weston. The remaining $96 million is accounted for through a gift card program Loblaw began in 2018 and ran through 2019 in hopes of making amends with customers who paid about $1.50 more per loaf of bread. Once legal fees and other court expenses are paid, 78 per cent of the funds will be allocated to shoppers in the Ontario settlement with the remaining amount headed for people in Quebec. What could I get? It depends how many people come forward and how many claims are approved, explains Strosberg. "If one million people come forward, they're going to get more. But if 25 million people come forward, they might get less," he said. Customers who bought bread between January 2001 and December 2021 and did not previously take a gift card from Loblaw will eventually receive up to $25, according to The Canadian Press. If there is still money left over after that distribution, funds will be divided among anyone who claimed the gift card. Sorry, what about the gift cards? Loblaw started offering $25 gift cards in 2018 after admitting its role in the bread price-fixing scandal. At the time, Loblaw had stated that it expected to subtract $25 from any potential settlement payments to class action members who also got a gift card. And it appears that's how it's playing out. According to the class action website, the $25 benefit previously claimed by some individuals under the Loblaw Card Program will be deducted from any compensation payable to them under the settlement. What's the next step? Now that the Ontario class action has been approved, you can register for more information on next steps on the Ontario settlement website. You can register to stay updated on the Quebec settlement on the class counsel's website (scroll to the bottom). If the settlement is approved on June 16, the class counsel will email anyone who registered with instructions on how to register. It, too, will be done on the Quebec bread class-action website. Once people are registered by the deadline (not yet determined), and we learn how many people apply, people will learn how much they might get, Strosberg said.
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Guardian
DAF truck maker accused of ‘stringing out' hauliers' legal case for compensation
The UK's largest truck maker has been accused of 'stringing out' legal proceedings to 'deny justice' to about 11,000 truck hauliers seeking compensation for the manufacturers' historical price fixing. The comments from the head of the Road Haulage Association (RHA) came almost nine years after the world's largest truck companies, including UK leader DAF, Volvo, MAN and Iveco, were fined about €3bn by the European Union for colluding for 14 years on pricing and passing on the costs of compliance with stricter emission rules. They also came seven years after the RHA launched its initial £1bn compensation claim against the guilty manufacturers on behalf of hauliers, many of which are small family-run businesses with only a handful of vehicles in their fleets. Richard Smith, the managing director of the RHA, said: 'The manufacturers have been driving up costs with the purpose being to deny claimants money in their pockets that they deserve.' The years of delays, some caused by the Covid pandemic, have reduced the number of hauliers seeking compensation by more than a third. 'When we started the claim we had 17,500 companies that registered an interest,' Smith said. 'We now have 11,400 signed up. Over the seven years we have lost 6,000 [claimants] … The manufacturers hope that we will go away. We are not going to do that.' He added that he and his team had received 'letters about people who have died' and had been 'asked to remove them from the claim'. The RHA's legal claim is understood to revolve around about 200,000 trucks of which 30% are thought by the trade body to have been supplied by the UK's leading supplier, DAF. The RHA says it is seeking compensation of more than £6,000 per truck. Smith alleged that manufacturers had used legal tactics to frustrate the trade body's claim – including DAF stating in court that it would settle the case, only to then back away from the pledge. Meanwhile, the hauliers' claim was further delayed in 2023 when DAF won a two-year case examining if the RHA's legal action could be financed by litigation funders – who pay for legal costs in return for taking a share of any eventual award. The supreme court ended up ruling that the RHA's funding arrangement was unenforceable because of the technical details of how the finance deal had been structured. This led to Therium, the litigation funders that also backed the subpostmasters' claims against the Post Office, having to rework its agreement with the RHA so that it would be paid a multiple of its initial investment, rather than a percentage of any compensation. 'Claimants would not have been able to afford this type of justice on their own,' Smith added. 'They wouldn't have been at the table [without litigation funders].' The delays to the RHA claim comes after Royal Mail and BT were awarded approximately £17.5m in damages against DAF last year, after a decision by the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal relating to the same European cartel ruling. DAF Trucks was approached for comment.
CBC
7 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Ontario judge approves $500M settlement in Loblaw bread-fixing case
An Ontario judge has approved a settlement in a class-action lawsuit that accused Loblaw and its parent company George Weston Ltd. of engaging in an industry-wide scheme to fix the price of bread. In a written decision, Judge Ed Morgan says the $500-million settlement is excellent, fair and in the best interest of class members. The settlement was reached last year and includes a combined $404 million to be paid by Loblaw and George Weston. The remaining $96 million is accounted for through a gift card program Loblaw announced in 2017 to make amends for co-ordinating the price of some packaged bread back to 2001. Once legal fees and other court expenses are paid, records show 78 per cent of the settlement funds will be allocated to residents in Canada outside Quebec and 22 per cent will wind up with people in that province. Those eligible for a piece of the settlement had to have purchased packaged bread for personal use or for resale between January 2001 and December 2021.
