TORONTO, March 11, 2025 /CNW/ - Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP and Orr Taylor LLP announced today that the $500 million settlement agreement with George Weston Limited ("Weston") and Loblaw Companies Limited ("Loblaw") to settle their involvement in nationwide class action lawsuits related to industry-wide price fixing for certain packaged bread products was executed by the parties on January 31, 2025.
The settlement is subject to court approval in Ontario and Quebec. The Ontario Settlement Approval Hearing will take place in Toronto on May 5, 2025. The Quebec Settlement Approval Hearing will take place in Montreal on June 16, 2025. If the settlement is approved, it will resolve all claims against Loblaw and Weston relating to this matter and Loblaw, Weston and related companies will receive a full and final release on behalf of all individuals and businesses resident in Canada who purchased Packaged Bread for personal use or for resale from January 1, 2001 to December 31, 2021.
The settlement provides for a cash payment by Weston and Loblaw of $404 million, with $96 million already paid by Loblaw through the previously announced Loblaw Card Program. The settlement funds, less court-approved expenses, will be allocated 78% for settlement class members resident in Canada outside Quebec and 22% for settlement class members resident in Quebec, and distributed for the benefit of eligible class members in accordance with a plan of distribution to be approved by the courts. "This resolution provides Canadian consumers with monetary relief they deserve," said Jay Strosberg, Managing Partner, Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP.
The settlement also provides access to information that will be used in continuing the case against the remaining defendants Canada Bread, Sobeys, Metro, Wal-Mart Canada, and Giant Tiger. "The expectation is that this will result in further significant monetary recovery for Canadians," said Jim Orr, Partner, Orr Taylor LLP.
The proposed plan of distribution provides that individuals who purchased Packaged Bread for their personal use and not for resale may claim compensation against 99.5% of net settlement funds allocated for consumers through a claims process to be established. The amount of their compensation will depend on the number of approved claims. The courts will decide at a later time how the 0.5% of net settlement funds allocated for businesses and other purchasers of Packaged Bread for resale in the same or a modified form will be distributed.
If you are an individual or business resident anywhere in Canada except Quebec and you purchased Packaged Bread in Canada between January 1, 2001 and December 31, 2021, inclusive, you are automatically included in the Ontario settlement class.
- If you do not want to participate in the Ontario class action, the deadline to opt-out/exclude yourself is midnight PST on April 25, 2025.
- If you want to object to or comment on the Loblaw/Weston settlement, the deadline is midnight PST on April 25, 2025.
The full Notice, additional information, and Opt-Out and Objection Forms are available at www.CanadianBreadSettlement.ca or by calling 1-833-419-4821.
For information on the Quebec class action go to www.QuebecBreadSettlement.ca.
SOURCE Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP and Orr Taylor LLP
Contact (press only): Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP, 1-800-229-5323
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