Loblaws admits to bread price fixing (with immunity) & Offers $25 Gift Card

[Aquaria]

when you click on their link to submit a form, there is a Other document option in addition to utility bill and drivers license. has anyone submitted using the Other option and got accepted? and what kind of document? thanks

[bhlombardy]

... I really don't understand why Loblaws is the only one doing this. The price of bread at stores like Sobeys and Metro hasn't been and currently isn't any better than the Loblaws stores. ...

I AGREE WITH YOU 100% ..why wasn’t sobey and co op and all other grocery store sending out 25 dollar gift card ..ever where i went bread was same price..so why did Loblaws get shafted and everyone else got away with it ..couldn’t understand..Mmmmmm

First and foremost, you seem to imply that the $25 gift card was forced upon Loblaws. It was not. It was a voluntary offer. Loblaws didnt get "shafted" -- they did this voluntarily and willingly. If you go waaaaaay back to the original news stories on this, it was a Loblaws/Weston internal investigation that uncovered the price-fixing scheme. The difference here is that Loblaws came forward with their claim and admitted their participation in the scam and accepted their fault publicly. Loblaws were most likely in preparation of this $25 gift card offer well before they released their findings publicly. The $25 gift card offer was an attempt to lessen the negative PR blow that the breaking news and their admission of guilt would have. However, as we can now tell, they're fumbling that as well and it's not necessarily working in their favour, nor as they had planned. -- but the gift card offer is not a penalty imposed on them.


Second, the 'fixing' of prices was done on two levels-- at Weston Bread by inflating the wholesale costs, and at retail (as admitted by Loblaws) to increase retail prices. Bear in mind the two companies (Weston and Loblaws) are owned by the same people. The folks at Loblaws and at Weston were in cahoots on this and admitted as much. This is key because if you're another retailer buying bread at wholesale, and the wholesale cost is increasing, then you have to increase your retail price accordingly. But if you KNEW that those costs were being artificially inflated, and you went along with it, then that might be considered collusion -- however... (to my next point)


Thirdly, there is no absolute proof that other retailers had necessary colluded with Weston (and/or other bread companies) to increase bread prices. Just because Loblaws said the others did, doesnt mean they actually did. -- As a competitor bread producer (for example Canada Bread), if you're witnessing what perhaps the LARGEST bread company in the country (read: Weston) is fetching for wholesale costs... you might simply opt to follow suit. And retailer(s) have to increase their price accordingly. Similarly as a retailer, if you see that Loblaws retail stores are charging $3 to $4 for a loaf of bread, you might increase your prices accordingly because people seem to be willing to pay it. But neither equates to collusion necessarily. That has to be proven.


All that aside (who's at fault, who isnt, etc)... no one's really talking about Sobey's, Co-Op, Metro, etc (in reference to the bread price-fixing scam) nearly as much as they are about Loblaws -- and it all seems to be negative at that. If other retailers were to make such an offer, it not only implies an admission of guilt (true or not) but if it wound up being the PR disaster for them as it has been for Loblaws thus-far, i think retailers (Sobey's, Co-Op, Metro, etc) might just be better off leaving well enough alone for now.

[tjthemanto]

On a side note do you think Loblaws has too manny banners under its name like : Loblaws,No Frills, Fortinos, Zehrs, Provigo, Maxi, Real Canadian Superstore, Your Independent Grocer, and Extra Foods...yada yada.

I think its a waste of marketing dollars and ultimately the price is passed on to the customers.

i think maximum - 3-4 banners should be more than enough - 1 High Range , 1 Middle Range & 1 Low Range ( No Frills ) , 1 Ethnic maybe like ( T & T Supermarket which they bought out ) . Now even SDM they own them.

The RCSS & Loblaws near my house are literally identical, with almost same prices, layout, design etc ...I don't even feel I am at a different store.

Loblaws is very expensive. But the RCSS near me is also equally expensive, I don't expect it to be as cheap as No Frills, but maybe at least it should be mid range and not as high end as Loblaws.

So I don't bother going to RCSS either, but if it was mid range i.e cheaper than Loblaws but more expensive than No Frills, I might actually go there more often

[macw1960]

Last GC received today.

[heartgirl99]

Haven't received word either way, but I'm curious how much of a utility bill they will allow to be blacked out?

I used my Bell Aliant internet bill, blacked out only the utility bill account number, and they rejected it saying they need to see the account number. This has to be fraudulent in what they are asking for.

I emailed asking if I could redact everything except my name and address. This is their response:


"Dear xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

Yes. You may redact all information except your name and the address that you put on your registration form.

As an alternative only for registrants who do not have a driver’s license or utility bill, you may submit another form of current documentation that confirms that your name and residential address match the information provided on your registration form. Your submission will not be used for any purpose other than to verify your eligibility to receive a $25 Loblaw Card and will be destroyed as soon as the verification is complete. "



so..... i sent scanned a copy of a utility bill with only my name and address showing. we'll see what happens. their response says that this would be sufficient. i was especially careful to black out my account number from everywhere on the page as well as the QR code.

[heartgirl99]

Haven't received word either way, but I'm curious how much of a utility bill they will allow to be blacked out?

On a side note do you think Loblaws has too manny banners under its name like : Loblaws,No Frills, Fortinos, Zehrs, Provigo, Maxi, Real Canadian Superstore, Your Independent Grocer, and Extra Foods...yada yada.

I think its a waste of marketing dollars and ultimately the price is passed on to the customers.

i think maximum - 3-4 banners should be more than enough - 1 High Range , 1 Middle Range & 1 Low Range ( No Frills ) , 1 Ethnic maybe like ( T & T Supermarket which they bought out ) . Now even SDM they own them.

The RCSS & Loblaws near my house are literally identical, with almost same prices, layout, design etc ...I don't even feel I am at a different store.

Loblaws is very expensive. But the RCSS near me is also equally expensive, I don't expect it to be as cheap as No Frills, but maybe at least it should be mid range and not as high end as Loblaws.

So I don't bother going to RCSS either, but if it was mid range i.e cheaper than Loblaws but more expensive than No Frills, I might actually go there more often

i agree. the space is becoming a monopoly.

[smileyKT]

I emailed asking if I could redact everything except my name and address. This is their response:


"Dear xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

Yes. You may redact all information except your name and the address that you put on your registration form.

As an alternative only for registrants who do not have a driver’s license or utility bill, you may submit another form of current documentation that confirms that your name and residential address match the information provided on your registration form. Your submission will not be used for any purpose other than to verify your eligibility to receive a $25 Loblaw Card and will be destroyed as soon as the verification is complete. "



so..... i sent scanned a copy of a utility bill with only my name and address showing. we'll see what happens. their response says that this would be sufficient. i was especially careful to black out my account number from everywhere on the page as well as the QR code.

Keep us updated! I have my driver's license but would want to redact the license number.

[Neeenerz]

Keep us updated! I have my driver's license but would want to redact the license number.

This still sounds scary to me.
🤷♀️


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[tjthemanto]

Keep us updated! I have my driver's license but would want to redact the license number.

They will still have your photo. You don't want that. Your photo with your real name & address floating around the internet

Better to send a utility bill with Account # blacked out & just your name & address.

They will probably take a Property tax bill too or Notice of Assessment also if you don't have any utility bills. Of course block out critical info like Property tax number, SIN, Bar codes, QR codes etc and some income like Net Income, Taxable Income, Gross Income etc from the NOA.

Just the first page with your name & address is enough, no need to send the entire documents.

Maybe even Credit card bills & Bank Account statement with all important info blacked out, should be accepted by them.

[Neeenerz]

They will still have your photo. You don't want that. Your photo with your real name & address floating around the internet

Better to send a utility bill with Account # blacked out & just your name & address.

They will probably take a Property tax bill too or Notice of Assessment also if you don't have any utility bills. Of course block out critical info like Property tax number, SIN, Bar codes, QR codes etc and some income like Net Income, Taxable Income, Gross Income etc from the NOA.

Just the first page with your name & address is enough, no need to send the entire documents.

Maybe even Credit card bills & Bank Account statement with all important info blacked out, should be accepted by them.

I agree with you! Wow, all too scary...


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[cabmonk]

I pretty much live in a rooming house. The post office doesn't recognize the apartment numbers here so to them it's just 1 big house. I have been waiting since I signed up on day one. Today I find out that the guy in room 1 downstairs also applied for a card. Neither of us have received a card yet or been asked for more info. So I guess I'll see what happens, there are 15 rooms in this one building. I wonder if anyone else also signed up here.

[smileyKT]

They will still have your photo. You don't want that. Your photo with your real name & address floating around the internet

Better to send a utility bill with Account # blacked out & just your name & address.

They will probably take a Property tax bill too or Notice of Assessment also if you don't have any utility bills. Of course block out critical info like Property tax number, SIN, Bar codes, QR codes etc and some income like Net Income, Taxable Income, Gross Income etc from the NOA.

Just the first page with your name & address is enough, no need to send the entire documents.

Maybe even Credit card bills & Bank Account statement with all important info blacked out, should be accepted by them.

Hmm I didn't think about that! Their email has just been sitting in my inbox while I think over what I'm willing to send, if anything. Credit card bill sounds better than my picture!

[cath007]

Anyone know how many time it take to review your documents before having a yes or a no for the giftcard?Its been 1 week for me and no news,my statue as not changes to got your document....

[Mamabearrina]

Anyone know how many time it take to review your documents before having a yes or a no for the giftcard?Its been 1 week for me and no news,my statue as not changes to got your document....

My status never changed just received my card in about 8 weeks ish from filling out form


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[Cake]

Hmm I didn't think about that! Their email has just been sitting in my inbox while I think over what I'm willing to send, if anything. Credit card bill sounds better than my picture!

I would think a smiley face sticker on your picture would probably work.
But on another note if you are a FB user you many dozen(s) of photos out there with a lot more info than your address.