🔥 Gündem Loblaws, Metro, and Sobey's Face Lawsuit Over Allegedly Diluted Maple Syrup

A class-action lawsuit in Canada has recently expanded to include major grocery chains Loblaws, Metro, and Sobeys, accusing them of negligence for selling diluted maple syrup labeled as pure ⁴⁹. The lawsuit, initially filed against a Quebec-based company, now alleges that these prominent retailers betrayed customer trust by distributing what is claimed to be "fake" or "bogus" maple syrup ¹³⁴.

Background of the Lawsuit

The core of the lawsuit revolves around allegations that maple syrup sold by a specific producer, 9227-8712 Québec inc., was adulterated, containing up to half cane sugar ⁷¹⁰. The original class action targeted this producer. However, an amended legal filing on August 3, 2026, in Quebec's Superior Court significantly broadened the scope by adding Loblaws Companies Limited, Metro Inc., Sobeys Group Inc., and Groupe Épicia (which operates Val-Mont grocery stores) as defendants ³⁴⁶⁷.

Key Allegations

The amended lawsuit claims that these major grocers demonstrated "negligence" by selling these diluted products ⁷. Specifically, it alleges they were "betraying their customers' trust" for years by offering cans of maple syrup from the implicated producer ¹⁹.

Who is Covered by the Lawsuit?

The proposed class for this lawsuit includes individuals in Canada who, since October 5, 2010, purchased at least one can of maple syrup produced by 9227-8712 Québec inc. This includes purchases made from Metro, Sobeys, Épicia, or Loblaw stores ⁵. The court will formally define the class if authorization is granted ⁵.

Grocers' Response

Loblaw has stated that it will contest the allegations ¹⁰.

Historical Context of Price-Fixing Allegations

It's worth noting that this is not the first time major Canadian grocers have faced allegations of anti-competitive practices. In a separate, unrelated case, the Competition Bureau alleged that Weston Foods (a former sister company to Loblaw Companies) and Canada Bread (owned by Maple Leaf Foods at the time, later a Grupo Bimbo subsidiary) colluded to boost bread prices ². They then reportedly met with retailers to implement these price increases ². This historical context highlights a broader pattern of scrutiny over pricing and product integrity within the Canadian grocery sector.