Competition Bureau drops civil probe into alleged abuse of dominance by Loblaw
TORONTO — Canada’s competition watchdog has closed a 3 1/2-year civil investigation into Loblaw Companies Ltd. related to allegations the grocery giant abused its dominant position in dealing with suppliers.
The Competition Bureau said Tuesday that after analyzing the impact of Loblaw’s (TSX:L) supplier policies on competition, it concluded there wasn’t sufficient evidence to support allegations that the company abused its dominant position.
Loblaw said the bureau’s announcement on Tuesday was welcome news.
“We have been an open book and made significant contributions to the bureau’s review. We have used the process to better understand the bureau’s concerns and observations, and have simplified the way we conduct our business with suppliers,” said spokesman Kevin Groh.