Canada’s 5 largest grocery store chains control 80% of sales; code of conduct could “mute country’s grocery oligopoly.”
January 17, 2023 – Grocery prices in Canada have been high for a while now, and the government is trying to do something about it.
They’re introducing a new rule called the “Grocery Code of Conduct”.
This is the first time anything like this has been done in Canada. The goal is to make sure that grocery stores are being fair, transparent and predictable in the way they do business.
The government also wants to make sure the food supply is stable and secure. This new rule could also break the hold of the five biggest grocery store chains in Canada, which currently control 80% of sales.
This could lead to lower prices for customers, and more options for what to buy. The government is still figuring out the details of the rule and when it will be put into effect.
They’re also asking for input from other groups that have a stake in the food industry. These include groups that represent farmers, food producers and suppliers.
The goal is to make sure the rule is good for everyone involved in the industry and not just a few big players.
“We would like to commend the agri-food industry on the substantial progress they have made in developing Canada’s first-ever Grocery Code of Conduct,” state Marie-Claude Bibeau, federal minister of agriculture and agri-food and André Lamontagne, minister of agriculture, fisheries and food.
