A lawyer working on a proposed against several companies for a bread price-fixing scheme says consumers should 鈥渞ead the fine print鈥� before accepting the $25 gift cards offered by Loblaw.
鈥淛ust be careful, read the fine print, and make sure you鈥檙e not giving away any rights to take part in the class action in exchange for what is basically a coupon to a grocery store,鈥� Joey Zukran, of Montreal-based LPC Avocat Inc. tells 麻豆影视 Channel.
鈥淲e sincerely believe that you鈥檙e entitled to a lot more money than a $25 gift card as a result of collusion going on for 14 years,鈥� he said.
鈥淎nd just make sure that you鈥檙e not waiving any rights or giving away any rights by signing up for what appears to be something interesting at a given time,鈥� Zukran added.
Zukran says Canadians should also consider that they will be sharing information like email addresses when they sign up for the cards and that the money must be spent in Loblaw stores, meaning Loblaw could profit.
Canadians will be able to register for the $25 cards starting Jan. 8. Loblaw is already that it says will be used to notify people when registration begins.
鈥淲e will only use your email address to notify you that registration has opened and not for Loblaw customer marketing or any other purpose, unless you have already given us your consent to do so,鈥� the Loblaw Card Program website states.
Loblaw spokesperson Kevin Groh told 麻豆影视 Thursday that 鈥渁ccepting this offer will not affect customers鈥� right to participate in any class action or to receive any incremental compensation that may be awarded by the court.
鈥淭he Loblaw Card Program is designed so that customers who obtain the cards will not be disadvantaged in terms of anything the courts may do,鈥� he added.
Jean-Marc Leclerc, a lawyer with Sotos LLP, is working on a separate including Loblaw on behalf of Irene Breckon of Elliot Lake, Ont. He told The Canadian Press earlier this month that the firm 鈥渨ill argue that the gift card program that Loblaw is proposing doesn't provide anywhere near the appropriate level of compensation that people deserve in this case.鈥�
Groh said at the time that compensation in class actions can take many years, while the Loblaw card will be available sooner.
on Dec. 19 announcing several actions it had taken for what it called its 鈥渞ole in an industry-wide price-fixing arrangement involving certain packaged bread products,鈥� including the $25 cards.
The company also said it 鈥渋mmediately reported鈥� the 鈥渁nti-competitive behaviour鈥� to the Competition Bureau when it was discovered in March 2015, that the 鈥渆mployees responsible鈥� are 鈥渘o longer with the company鈥� and that it has enhanced compliance.
