#grocery

Canada's Competition Bureau has obtained a Federal Court order compelling major grocers Empire and Loblaw to produce documents for its investigation into anti-competitive practices. The probe focuses on "property controls," or restrictive covenants in lease agreements, that may be used to block rival supermarkets from opening nearby. This action marks a significant escalation in the Bureau's efforts to scrutinize the highly concentrated grocery sector amid persistent food inflation. The investigation aims to determine if these land-use restrictions unlawfully stifle competition, limit consumer choice, and contribute to higher food prices for Canadians.

The Competition Bureau of Canada has obtained a Federal Court order compelling Loblaw, Metro, and Sobeys' parent company, Empire, to produce documents for an investigation into their use of property controls. The probe examines whether these grocery giants use restrictive covenants and exclusivity clauses in lease agreements to stifle competition by preventing rival grocers from opening stores in certain locations. This legal step marks a significant escalation in the Bureau's efforts to address concerns about limited competition and high food prices in Canada's highly concentrated grocery market.

The Competition Bureau of Canada is escalating its investigation into the country's largest grocery retailers—Loblaw, Sobeys, and Metro—over their use of anti-competitive property controls. After the companies were slow to provide information, the Bureau obtained Federal Court orders compelling them to produce records related to restrictive covenants in lease agreements. These controls can block rival grocers from opening stores in certain locations, sometimes for decades. The probe aims to determine if these practices unlawfully stifle competition, contributing to higher food prices and limiting consumer choice in a highly concentrated market.

The Competition Bureau of Canada has secured court orders compelling major grocery retailers, including Loblaw and Sobeys, to produce documents for an investigation into their use of property controls. The probe examines how restrictive covenants in lease agreements may be used to stifle competition by preventing rival grocers from opening nearby. This action, following the companies' alleged failure to cooperate fully, marks a significant escalation in the Bureau's efforts to address concerns about market concentration and its impact on food prices and consumer choice in Canada's highly consolidated grocery sector.

The Competition Bureau of Canada has launched a formal investigation into the country's largest grocery chains—Loblaw, Sobeys, and Metro—over their use of anti-competitive property controls. The probe focuses on "restrictive covenants" in lease and property agreements that prevent rival grocers from opening stores in certain locations, sometimes for decades. Citing concerns that these practices limit consumer choice and contribute to high food prices, the Bureau is seeking court orders to compel the companies to produce relevant records. This action marks a significant escalation in the government's efforts to address competition in the sector.

Canada's Competition Bureau is intensifying its market study into the grocery sector, focusing on the anti-competitive use of property controls by major chains. The federal watchdog has sought court orders to compel leading grocers, including Loblaw, Sobeys, and Metro, to produce documents related to restrictive covenants in leasing agreements. These clauses can prevent rival supermarkets from opening in the same shopping centres or nearby locations. This escalation signals the Bureau's commitment to addressing practices that may be limiting consumer choice and contributing to high food prices across the country.

Canada's Competition Bureau is escalating its investigation into the country's largest grocery chains, including Loblaw, Sobeys, and Metro, over their use of restrictive property controls. The probe focuses on clauses in lease agreements that may unlawfully prevent rival supermarkets from opening in the same commercial developments, thereby stifling competition. By seeking court orders to compel the release of corporate records, the Bureau aims to determine if these long-standing practices harm consumers by limiting choice and contributing to higher food prices in an already concentrated market.

Canada's Competition Bureau is escalating its investigation into the country's major grocery retailers—Loblaw, Sobeys, and Metro—over allegations of anti-competitive practices. The probe focuses on the use of 'property controls,' restrictive covenants in lease agreements that may be used to block rival supermarkets from opening nearby, thereby limiting consumer choice and stifling competition. Amid persistent food price inflation, the Bureau has sought court orders to compel the companies to produce records, signaling a more aggressive phase in its effort to ensure a fair and competitive marketplace for Canadian consumers.