If you have filed a claim in the settlement tied to a long-running bread price fixing scheme, your money is en route. The process of disbursing payments to approved Canadian claimants commenced last week, managed by Verita, an independent administrator for the settlement. Due to the large number of validated claims, payments are being distributed gradually, as stated on the settlement website.
In 2016, the Competition Bureau initiated an investigation into the issue, leading to acknowledgments from Weston Foods and Loblaw that they engaged in an “industry-wide price-fixing arrangement,” allegedly inflating the cost of a loaf of bread by $1.50. In 2024, Loblaw and its parent company, George Weston Ltd., agreed to pay $500 million to resolve the class-action lawsuit.
Individuals residing in Canada who purchased bread for personal consumption between 2001 and 2021 were eligible to seek a portion of the settlement funds, with no requirement for proof of purchase. The deadline for submissions was December 12 of the previous year.
The payment amount varies depending on whether claimants previously received a $25 card from the Loblaw Card Program, distributed in 2018 to address their involvement in the scheme. Those who did not obtain a gift card will receive $49.11, while those who did will receive $24.11, according to the settlement website.
Claimants will receive their funds via Interac e-transfer or check, based on their payment preference during the claim process. Verita’s website cautions claimants about potential fraud, as some Canadians have received fraudulent messages related to the payouts. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reported nine instances of phishing text messages in March connected to the settlement, all requesting personal information like name, address, date of birth, and credit or debit card details.
The legitimate e-transfer emails will only originate from notify@payments.interac.ca, as indicated on the claim website. Claimants are advised not to interact with any texts purporting to be from Verita or to click on any provided links.