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Canadian Bread Co. price-fixing fine overview:
- Who: Canada Bread Co. has been given a fine of CA$50 million after pleading guilty to colluding with West Foods in a price-fixing scheme involving bagged bread products.
- Why: The fine is the highest ever given to a company over price-fixing, according to the Canadian federal government.
- Where: Canadian Bread Co. is headquartered in Ontario, Canada.
A court in Canada has fined Canadian Bread Co. CA$50 million for the company’s role in a price-fixing scheme involving bagged bread products.
Canadian Bread — which was owned by Maple Leaf Foods at the time of the illicit activity — pleaded guilty to charges it worked with rival bread maker Weston Foods to pump up the price of bagged bread products during the years 2007 and 2011, reports Law360.
The fine is reportedly the largest ever handed out as a result of price-fixing charges, according to the federal government.
Despite the record-breaking fine, Canada Bread was actually given leniency by the Competition Bureau — which has a leniency program that allows courts to offset fines by up to 50% — on account of the company’s cooperation with the agency, reports Law360.
“Fixing the price of bread — a food staple of Canadian households — was a serious criminal offence,” Competition Commissioner Matthew Boswell said, in a statement. “Our continuing investigation remains a top priority. We are doing everything in our power to pursue those who engage in price-fixing.”
Canada Bread co-conspirator Weston Foods revealed price-fixing scheme in 2017
Weston Foods revealed the price-fixing scheme in 2017, at which time the company was given immunity from prosecution in exchange for its cooperation, reports Law360.
The Competition Bureau reportedly said it is continuing to investigate the scheme, and has executed search warrants at a total of nine different companies, including Metro, Sobeys, Walmart Canada, Giant Tiger Stores Ltd. and Maple Leaf Foods.
The fine given to Canada Bread, meanwhile, marks a “significant milestone” in the probe, according to the Competition Bureau, which said it ultimately refers matters to prosecutors after finding evidence of illegal activity, reports Law360.
In another case involving price fixing, Apple agreed to pay $12 million last year to resolve claims the company conspired with book publishers to increase and fix the price of e-books sold in Canada.
Have you purchased bagged bread products from Canadian Bread Co.? Let us know in the comments!
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35 thoughts onCanadian court fines Canada Bread Co. CA$50 million in largest-ever price-fixing fine
Count me in
Go thru 3 loaves a week
Count me in please
Go through bread 1-2 loaves a week, more when the kids in school making lunches.
We go through 2-3 each week, sometimes more depending on if my kid has friends for sleepovers on weekends. Wow…That is a lot of money taking from our pockets to fill up theirs. Totally unacceptable. Its robbery.
We go through at least 3 loaves a week… sometimes more.
Go through bread 1-2 loaves a week, more when the kids in school making lunches.
We go through bread fasyer then we go through milk in a week and thats alot. 3-4 loaves a week minimum.
2 – 3 loaves a week from Walmart.
Total Greed! They should all be charged! This is not the only thing that they are price fixing!
2 to 4 loafs of bread per week, family of 4 with 2 handicapped kids and not enough funds coming in, everybody cutting us short !