If you have filed a claim in the settlement regarding a lengthy bread price fixing scheme, your money is now being processed for payment. The payout process for approved Canadian claims initiated last week through Verita, an independent administrator for the settlement. Due to the large number of approved claims, payments are being distributed on an ongoing basis as stated on the settlement website.
Following the Competition Bureau’s 2016 investigation, Weston Foods and Loblaw confessed to their involvement in an industry-wide price-fixing scheme, which the bureau alleged increased the loaf of bread’s price by $1.50. In 2024, Loblaw and its parent company, George Weston Ltd., agreed to a $500 million settlement for the class-action lawsuit.
Individuals residing in Canada who purchased bread for personal consumption between 2001 and 2021 were eligible to seek a share of the settlement without the need for proof of purchase. The deadline for claims was December 12 of the previous year.
The settlement amount varies based on whether claimants had previously received a $25 card from the Loblaw Card Program, which was distributed in 2018 to address their involvement in the scheme. Those who did not receive a gift card will receive $49.11, while those who did will receive $24.11, according to the settlement site.
Claimants will receive their funds via Interac e-transfer or cheque, depending on the selection made during the claim submission. Verita’s website cautions claimants about potential fraud attempts, as some Canadians have reported receiving fraudulent messages related to the payouts. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre disclosed that it had received nine phishing text messages in March seeking personal information like name, address, date of birth, and credit or debit card details.
The official claim website advises that legitimate e-transfer emails will only originate from notify@payments.interac.ca. Claimants are warned not to engage with any suspicious texts claiming to be from Verita or to click on any attached links.
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