A potential settlement offers Canadians who purchased beef after 2015 a chance to claim a portion of nearly $8 million due to alleged price-fixing by certain companies. The settlement involves JBS USA Company, Swift Beef Company, JBS Packerland Inc., JBS Canada ULC, and National Beef, with a total agreed payment of $7.49 million and $495,000, respectively.
This settlement, subject to court approval, does not imply wrongdoing by the companies. Scheduled settlement hearings are set for September 10 for all provinces except Quebec, with Quebec’s hearing planned for December 1 this year. The class-action lawsuit, filed in 2022, accuses beef-selling companies of participating in an unlawful conspiracy related to beef supply and pricing in Canada.
Legal teams, including CFM Lawyers LLP in B.C., Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP in Ontario, and Belleau Lapointe LLP in Quebec, initiated the settlement, which excludes beef products bought by the food service industry. The ongoing class actions involve defendants from Cargill and Tyson. Eligible Canadians who wish to opt out, potentially to pursue individual legal action, must do so by August 10.
Notably, this settlement follows the distribution of payments to Canadians in May from a bread price-fixing class action involving various companies. In that case, Loblaw and its parent company, George Weston Ltd., agreed in 2024 to a $500 million settlement for those who bought bread between 2001 and 2021.