A $500 million class action settlement resulting from a long-standing bread price fixing scheme is nearing its deadline for eligible participants to claim their share. If you purchased packaged bread from major Canadian grocery stores between 2001 and 2021, you may be entitled to compensation from Loblaw and its parent company, George Weston Ltd. The deadline for claims is December 12.
Verita, the independent administrator for the settlement, indicates that each claimant could receive a minimum of $50, with the potential for even higher amounts according to Jay Strosberg of Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP, the law firm behind the Ontario class-action suit.
Over 1.4 million claims have been submitted since the process began in September, excluding Quebec, which has a separate handling process. To determine eligibility, if you purchased packaged bread products for personal use between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2021, you may qualify to claim your share. There are specific online claim submission forms for residents of Quebec and the rest of Canada.
Receipts are not required for proof of purchase, but claimants will need to provide details of their most recent packaged bread purchase and the store of purchase. There is no limit to the number of claims per household, but claimants must have been 18 years old by the end of 2021 and living in Canada at that time.
The settlement funds are expected to be distributed within six to twelve months after the deadline, either through Interac e-transfer or by cheque. Strosberg suggests that additional funds may be distributed if there are further settlements as the class action continues.
Regarding the authenticity of claims, Strosberg highlights concerns about fraudulent submissions, particularly from bots. Administrators are utilizing sophisticated software to detect fraudulent claims, monitoring IP addresses to ensure validity. Despite these challenges, Strosberg encourages all eligible Canadians to submit their claims, emphasizing the widespread impact of the bread price-fixing scheme.
Lastly, the information submitted will be kept by the administrators for auditing and compliance purposes, with the assurance that personal data will be eventually destroyed.