If you have filed a claim in the settlement related to a long-running bread price fixing scam, your payment is on its way. The payout process for approved Canadian claims commenced last week, managed by Verita, an independent administrator for the settlement. Due to the large number of approved claims, payments are being issued gradually, as stated on the settlement website.
In 2016, the Competition Bureau initiated an investigation into the issue. Both Weston Foods and Loblaw confessed to taking part in an “industry-wide price-fixing arrangement,” allegedly inflating the price of a loaf of bread by $1.50. In 2024, Loblaw and its parent company, George Weston Ltd., agreed to a $500 million settlement for the class-action lawsuit.
Any individual residing in Canada who purchased bread for personal consumption between 2001 and 2021 was eligible to apply for a portion of the settlement funds, without needing proof of purchase. The deadline for claims was December 12 of the previous year.
The amount received by claimants will vary depending on whether they previously received a $25 card from the Loblaw Card Program, distributed in 2018 to compensate for their involvement in the scheme. Those who did not receive a gift card will receive $49.11, while those who did will get $24.11, according to the settlement site.
Claimants will receive their funds via Interac e-transfer or check, based on their chosen method during the claim submission. Verita’s website cautions claimants about potential fraud activities, as some Canadians have reported receiving fraudulent messages related to the payouts. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre disclosed that they had received nine reports of phishing text messages in March concerning the settlement, requesting personal information like name, address, date of birth, and credit card details.
Claimants are advised to be cautious of fraud attempts, as the legitimate e-transfer emails will only originate from notify@payments.interac.ca. The claim webpage emphasizes that communications or payments will never be sent via text and urges claimants not to click on any links or respond to text messages claiming to be from Verita.
