Loblaws Stole from Millions—Now They’re Buying Their Way Out
Loblaw’s $500M bread price-fixing settlement isn’t justice—it’s a refund. And a refund doesn’t fix the damage.
In January, Loblaw Companies Limited and George Weston Ltd. agreed to a $500 million settlement over allegations of a 15-year (2001–2016) conspiracy to artificially inflate the price of packaged bread by at least $1.50 per loaf—a basic staple that millions rely on. Of this, $404 million will be paid directly, while $96 million will be distributed through a gift card program.
For over a decade, families paid more than they should have, not because of supply issues or rising costs, but because corporate greed made the essentials more expensive. And now? The so-called accountability for this is a one-time payout—the exact per-person amount is unclear, but it is expected to be modest. A refund, not a repair.
Meanwhile, 22.9% of Canadian households (not 16.9%) struggle with food insecurity—meaning they don’t have consistent access to enough food because of financial constraints. This isn’t just about individual hardship; it’s a structural failure. Food isn’t a privilege—it’s a human right, recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and defined by the United Nations as essential for dignity and survival. But under capitalism, food isn’t treated as a right—it’s treated as a commodity, controlled by corporations that exist to serve shareholders, not people.
Imagine if, instead of writing checks and moving on, Loblaw had invested that money into solutions that actually make food more accessible. Instead of padding corporate profits, that $500 million could have funded FoodShare Toronto, urban agriculture initiatives, Indigenous food sovereignty projects, and food co-ops—community-driven solutions that challenge the very system Loblaw exploited.
After all, Justice isn’t a payout—it’s dismantling the systems that let this happen in the first place.
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