麻豆影视

Business

    • Loblaw raises the affordability alarm as grocery code of conduct nears completion

    The Loblaws flagship location on Carlton Street in Toronto on Thursday May 2, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim The Loblaws flagship location on Carlton Street in Toronto on Thursday May 2, 2013. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim
    Share

    As the grocery code of conduct nears completion, the Canadian industry's biggest player is raising concerns the guidelines could add fuel to the food inflation fire.

    Loblaw Companies Ltd. said it's worried the code could "raise food prices for Canadians by more than $1 billion" in a letter sent to members of both the steering committee developing the code and the industry sub-committee on Nov. 1, and obtained by The Canadian Press.

    The grocer cannot endorse the code in its current form, wrote chief financial officer Richard Dufresne in the letter, requesting a special meeting of the industry sub-committee to address Loblaw's concerns.

    In a statement, Loblaw spokeswoman Catherine Thomas said the draft code has "a number of challenges," which the grocer believes could risk product availability and increasing food prices. The Loblaw statement also mentioned the potential "$1 billion in costs," which Thomas said refers to extra costs for Loblaw customers.

    Loblaw isn't the only grocer to express concern about the code. Walmart Canada spokeswoman Sarah Kennedy said in an email in late October that the company supports initiatives benefitting customers but it's "conscious of adding unnecessary burdens that could increase the cost of food for Canadians, especially during inflationary times."

    Grocers have been under pressure from the federal government to stabilize food prices after a run of high inflation and a series of interest rate hikes have eaten into household budgets.

    Michael Graydon, CEO of the Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada association and co-chair of the steering committee developing the code, urged the two companies to give the code a chance. Without them on board, the code will be less effective, he said.

    "Sign on, be active participants, be engaged," Graydon said, noting the code will be reviewed after its launch.

    "But to just continue to sit on the sidelines and throw rocks at the process ... it's not in the best interest of the industry."

    The code is near completion, Graydon said, with plans to have it and the non-profit organization overseeing it up and running by the end of the first quarter of 2024.

    Loblaw's letter mentions specific sections of the draft code, saying it would make it harder for retailers to hold suppliers accountable, create a lack of certainty in the supplier-retailer relationship, and pose risks to prices, availability and discount programs.

    Graydon said the committee doesn't want to negotiate the points of Loblaw's letter in the media, and would prefer to discuss it directly with them in an upcoming meeting.

    However, he and Gary Sands, senior vice-president at the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers and a member of the committee, pushed back on the $1-billion figure cited by Loblaw.

    "There is absolutely no evidence to suggest the code would either raise food prices or negatively impact retailers' ability to meet consumer needs," said Graydon.

    Sands said if he thought the code would be inflationary, he would raise the alarm too -- but "we just don't believe that that's true."

    The committee developing the code was created in response to calls from the industry to address fees that large grocery retailers charge suppliers, an issue that surfaced publicly in 2020. That year, Walmart Canada announced a fee hike, and a national buying group representing Metro Inc. told suppliers it would expect the same. Not long after, Loblaw also raised its fees.

    Michael von Massow, a food economy professor at the University of Guelph, said it's not surprising to see two of the biggest names in the market -- one the largest Canadian grocer, the other a major U.S. player -- voicing concerns over the code of conduct.

    "They, frankly, probably have the most to lose," he said.

    Metro and Empire Co. Ltd., which owns Sobeys, affirmed their commitment to adopting the code in statements Monday. Costco Canada did not respond to a request for comment.

    If in the end, Loblaw and/or Walmart Canada decide not to sign on to the code, Graydon said another route may be necessary to address the sector's issues.

    "I think we will need to have some very interesting conversations with a number of governments around regulation," he said.

    Quebec's agriculture and food minister Andre Lamontagne, who co-chaired a working group announced in 2020 to look at the fees charged to suppliers by retailers, said it's taken several years of rigorous work to get the code to the point it's at today.

    A report by that group in July 2021 noted a regulated or legislated approach to dealing with these fees would require provincial action, but that this could lead to a patchwork approach.

    Lamontagne wouldn't say whether Quebec will step in if the grocers don't all agree to the code.

    "I am always an optimist," he said in an interview, conducted in French.

    The federal food minister, too, wouldn't comment on whether regulation might be necessary.

    "In July, Federal, Provincial, and Territorial Ministers were briefed on the significant progress made during industry consultations held in May 2023, and remain united in calling for all key players in the industry, including large retailers, to participate in and support the operation of the Code," said agri-food minister Lawrence MacAulay in an email.

    But Von Massow said there has been, and likely still is, political appetite to step in with regulation if the code falls apart.

    "I think that the current environment increases the appetite for doing that, and provides the perception that governments are doing something about affordability," he said.

    Graydon thinks with all the pressure on retailers to stabilize food prices and the accusations of `greedflation' from consumers and politicians alike, it could also be a bad move for the grocers to say no to the code.

    "I think it will be a public relations disaster for them," he said.

    -- With files from Brett Bundale

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2023.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

    The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

    Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    Canada

    • Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.

    • Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    • The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

    • New data shows the automated speed enforcement camera on King Edward Avenue, between Bolton Street and St. Patrick Street, issued 6,337 speeding tickets in August, the highest number of tickets issued by Ottawa's 40 photo radar cameras.

    • The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • A five-seat sushi counter located inside another restaurant is the latest Vancouver eatery to receive a Michelin star.

    • What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    Sports

    • According to the Canadian Women & Sport's 2022 Rally Report, 76 per cent of girls who participate in sports believe it helps build confidence and enhances their mental health. While those benefits are important for all children, the organization's CEO says, right now, girls have less access.

    Autos

    • A Pickering, Ont., student going to college to be a mechanic is shocked the engine in his two-year-old car will not be repaired under warranty after the dealership claimed he had been 'over-revving' the engine.

    • A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Local Spotlight

    Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

    From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

    A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

    The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

    A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

    Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

    What does New Westminster's t蓹m蓹sew虛tx史 Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

    The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

    New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

    • Fire crews battled a massive blaze in downtown Langley Saturday morning.

    • The man suspected of murdering another man inside a Mackenzie, B.C., home last weekend has been arrested.

    • The sentencing of the man who pleaded guilty in the deadly hit-and-run in Kitsilano two years ago began on Friday.

    • A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.

    • Two pedestrians have been taken to hospital with unknown injuries after an early-morning collision in Vaughan.

    • A Toronto city councillor is calling for a public inquiry into the construction of the delayed and over-budget Eglinton Crosstown LRT.

    • An investigation is underway into what caused a vehicle rollover Saturday in the area of Plummers Road and Priddis Valley Road.

    • A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a vehicle in southeast Calgary on Friday night.

    • Environment Canada has issued a frost advisory as temperatures across Ottawa and eastern Ontario are expected to dip near the freezing mark this evening.

    • New data shows the automated speed enforcement camera on King Edward Avenue, between Bolton Street and St. Patrick Street, issued 6,337 speeding tickets in August, the highest number of tickets issued by Ottawa's 40 photo radar cameras.

    • Ontario Provincial Police have laid stunt charges against a driver caught speeding 75 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417 in Ottawa's west end.

    • The two people who died in a major fire in Old Montreal on Friday were a mother and her seven-year-old daughter, sources told Noovo Info.

    • Montreal police say they are increasing their presence across the city ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 start of the Israel-Hamas war.

    • Montreal police say a business in the city's Pointe-Saint-Charles neighbourhood was hit with Molotov cocktails two nights in a row.

    • Forward Arshdeep Bains hopes his final audition was good enough to earn him a spot in the Vancouver Canucks cast when the curtain opens on the NHL regular season.

    • A 79-year-old woman is dead after the vehicle she was driving crashed into an east Edmonton building late Friday afternoon.

    • Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jack Campbell has entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program.

    • A riding in southwest New Brunswick that for decades was a Progressive Conservative stronghold is shaping up to be a bellwether that could offer a window into the future of the Tory party, and maybe of the province.

    • A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.

    • Friday marked the grand opening of 22 new seniors' apartments built from the ground-up on Pitt Street in Sydney Mines, N.S.

    • It鈥檚 1998. Google was just born, and dial-up was the primary way to connect to the Internet. New sites were being developed daily on any number of topics, from recipes to shopping. David Yanciw, however, was thinking big - big things, that is.

    • Emergency crews are at the scene of a single motor vehicle collision on Highway 12 in the RM of Brokenhead, Man.

    • A new report from Doctors Manitoba is calling for major changes to the way sick notes are issued in Manitoba, saying they are a waste of time for doctors and employers.

    • Regina police are investigating after guns were fired at two homes last week, with one home being shot at on multiple occasions.

    • A wind warning has been issued for parts of southern Saskatchewan, with gusts of up to 100 kilometres per hour (km/h) possible in some areas on Saturday, Environment and Climate Change Canada says.

    • A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.

    • Police have laid charges after a car crashed into the side of a Kitchener home early Friday morning.

    • Officers were called at around 11 p.m. Friday for a report of a disturbance in the area of Glasgow Street and Earl Street.

    • The K-W Symphony may have played their last concert but the musicians who made up the ensemble aren鈥檛 ready for their curtain call.

    • A permanent memorial at the site of the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is about to be a step closer.

    • The Saskatchewan Teachers' Federation hosted a virtual election forum on education Thursday evening, giving candidates in the provincial election a chance to share their thoughts and answer questions on issues teachers find most important.

    • A Saskatchewan man living in the United States has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography after he unknowingly provided disturbing videos to an FBI agent he thought was a pedophile.

    • Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard has been found not guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago. The former Hedley frontman had pleaded not guilty to sexual assault.

    • As of 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, The West Region OPP Tactics and Rescue Unit (TRU), Emergency Response Team (TEAM) and OPP K9 Unit were operating in the area but have since cleared.

    • The London Knights were on home ice last night, hoping to secure their first win of the season at Budweiser Gardens against the Erie Otters.

    • Three people from Simcoe County face charges in relation to a drug trafficking investigation that police say resulted in the seizure of several weapons, drugs and thousands of dollars worth of stolen property.

    • A 62-year-old man has been charged after police received a report about an employee stealing over $60,000 worth of materials from a Huntsville business.

    • A man is facing multiple charges after reportedly threatening to harm staff members at an Orillia business Friday afternoon.

    • The first step in the plan was speaking to frontline workers and getting their feedback. "Overwhelmingly, they said they would like to see health-care services on-site," Bondy said.

    • According to police, the suspect entered and vandalized the property in the 700 block of Grand Marais Road Easton on September 28.

    • A motor vehicle collision at Wyandotte Street East and George Avenue has Windsor police on the scene this morning.

    • The leaders of both British Columbia's provincial Conservatives and New Democrats are in the Okanagan campaigning today.

    • We haven't heard the candidates talk much about education during B.C.'s 2024 election campaign, but the teachers' union is trying to put the spotlight on that issue.

    • The body of a British Columbia mountain climber has been located and recovered after the 39-year-old man was reported missing during a solo climb on Washington state's Mount Baker earlier this week.

    • The leaders of both British Columbia's provincial Conservatives and New Democrats are in the Okanagan campaigning today.

    • Three young suspects have been arrested in connection with a swarming attack on a teenager in B.C.'s Okanagan last week 鈥 and authorities have asked the public to stop circulating disturbing videos of the incident.

    • A father in Kelowna is furious after his 13-year-old daughter was brutally beaten on Gyro Beach. He is calling for criminal charges in the devastating attack, which was caught on video by multiple bystanders.

    • A person was airlifted to hospital following a serious crash in Taber, Alta., on Friday morning. Taber RCMP responded to the scene on Highway 864 around 10:30 a.m., for a crash involving an SUV and a semi-truck.

    • To enhance inclusivity at Lethbridge Polytechnic, the institution has launched a new accessibility micro-credential.

    • WestJet has changed its operations at the Lethbridge Airport, and it means there's now only a single daily flight from Lethbridge to Calgary, down from three flights a day, as offered previously.

    • Two teens, ages 14 and 19, have been charged with arson in connection with a July 14 fire in Cat Lake First Nation that destroyed $500,000 in construction materials.

    • A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.

    • A suspect who accused Thunder Bay police of being responsible for his throat injury actually hurt himself when he swallowed a large amount of drugs.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视