Documents reveal Ottawa’s efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
OTTAWA, ON – It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project’s success.
Documents obtained through access to information legislation shed new light on the federal government’s efforts to convince the two retailers to sign the grocery code of conduct, with cracks appearing in the months leading up to a House of Commons meeting where the grocers said they couldn’t sign the near-complete code.
“There are ongoing federal efforts to seek commitment from key players, including large retailers like Walmart and Loblaws, to participate in the code,” read a briefing note prepared on Sept. 22 for a meeting between federal agriculture and agri-food minister Lawrence MacAulay and Quebec agriculture and food minister André Lamontagne.
The document, obtained through the Access to Information Act, says participation by some of the largest retailers — namely Loblaw and Walmart — is “still to be determined.”