is suing Canada Bread Co. Ltd. and its parent, Mexico-based Grupo Bimbo, accusing the companies of defamation related to their claims about Maple Leaf’s role in an alleged industry-wide scheme to fix bread prices from 2001 to 2015.
The country’s largest grocer, Loblaw Cos. Ltd., and its parent company George Weston Ltd. first reported the alleged industry-wide conspiracy to the federal Competition Bureau in 2015, in exchange for immunity from criminal charges. The federal watchdog then launched an investigation, which is continuing.
The defamation allegations have not been tested in court, and no statement of defence has been filed. Grupo Bimbo and Canada Bread did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “In seeking and obtaining leniency from the Bureau, Canada Bread took the extraordinary step of admitting to wrongdoing it had not, in fact, engaged in,” the filing states. It adds that no price increases at any time were the result of collusion between Canada Bread and Weston Foods.