Canadians who purchased beef post-2015 may be entitled to a portion of nearly $8 million in a proposed settlement with companies accused of price-fixing. Several Canadian law firms revealed that JBS USA Company, Swift Beef Company, JBS Packerland Inc., and JBS Canada ULC agreed to pay $7.49 million, while National Beef agreed to pay $495,000.
The agreement, pending court approval, does not imply guilt on the part of the companies. A settlement hearing for members across all provinces except Quebec is set for September 10, with the Quebec hearing scheduled for December 1 this year.
A class-action lawsuit filed in 2022 alleged that beef-selling companies were involved in an illicit conspiracy concerning the supply or pricing of beef in Canada. Legal teams, including CFM Lawyers LLP in B.C., Strosberg Wingfield Sasso LLP in Ontario, and Belleau Lapointe LLP in Quebec, spearheaded the settlement.
Excluded from the settlement are beef products and beef bought by the food service industry, like restaurants. The legal battle continues against certain defendants from Cargill and Tyson.
Eligible Canadians seeking to opt out of the settlement, a necessary step to pursue an individual lawsuit, must do so by August 10. This settlement follows the distribution of payments to Canadians in May linked to a bread price-fixing class action involving multiple companies.
In a separate case, Loblaw and its parent company George Weston Ltd. reached a settlement in 2024, agreeing to pay $500 million to resolve the class action, enabling Canadians who bought bread between 2001 and 2021 to apply for compensation.