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Competition Bureau Challenges Grocery Giants Over Land Controls, Alleging Anti-Competitive Practices
Canada's Competition Bureau is taking legal action against Loblaw and Sobeys' parent company, Empire, seeking to end their use of "property controls" in commercial leases. The Bureau alleges these restrictive covenants are used to block rival grocers from opening stores in the same plazas or nearby, stifling competition and harming consumers. This action, filed with the Competition Tribunal, claims the practice leads to fewer choices, lower quality service, and higher food prices for Canadians. It represents a major step in the government's ongoing efforts to address the lack of competition in the country's concentrated grocery market.