National News posted Dec 20, 2017 @ 11:00am by Josh Duncan

Loblaw offering customers $25 gift cards to make up for years of bread price-fixing

After a lengthy investigation, Loblaw and George Weston are taking action to make up for an industry-wide price-fixing arrangement involving packaged bread products.

This follows an investigation from the Competition Bureau that found that price-fixing did take place from late 2001 to March 2015.

Under the arrangement, the participants, including Loblaw and Weston Bakeries, increased prices regularly on a coordinated basis.

Other major grocery retailers and another bread wholesaler were also involved in the scandal.

"This sort of behaviour is wrong and has no place in our business or Canada's grocery industry," said Galen G. Weston, chairman and CEO of both companies. "This should never have happened."

The employees responsible for the companies’ role in the arrangement are no longer employed, but they didn’t stop there.

Loblaw is also offering customers a $25 gift card, which can be used to purchase items sold in Loblaw owned grocery stores across Canada.

Real Canadian Superstore, No Frills and Shoppers Drug Mart all fall under the Loblaw umbrella, but it's unknown if there will be any restrictions on the use of these gift cards.

Between Jan. 8 and May. 8, 2018, customers can visit the Loblaw website to find out if they’re eligible to receive a gift card.

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