Competition Bureau Launches Examination on Competition in Canada’s Food Supply Chain

On June 16, 2026, the Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced it would conduct an examination into the state of competition in Canada’s food supply chain. This follows the release of the Canadian government’s National Food Security Strategy on June 11, 2026, setting out measures intended to improve food affordability and strengthen competition in the food supply chain. 

Businesses should be aware that competition in the food supply chain is a priority of the Canadian government, and participants in the food industry may be subject to continued and increased Bureau scrutiny.

Examination Overview

The Bureau is conducting an examination of the food supply chain and seeking public consultation. Interested parties are invited to provide input by July 31, 2026. After collecting public feedback, the Bureau will organize in-person and virtual meetings with stakeholders from fall 2026 to spring 2027. The Bureau intends to publish its report in spring 2027 and may make recommendations that, in the Bureau’s view, will improve competition.

The Bureau’s examination will focus on identifying competition issues in the food supply chain across three areas, as reflected in its initial Questions of Interest:

1. Production and processing activities within the food supply chain, including farming, fishing and processing raw inputs into ready-to-eat foods
2. Transportation and distribution of food to retailers, including how transport, logistics, wholesaling and distribution affect competition within the supply chain
3. Retail pricing and practices that affect prices, quantity and quality of products, including consumer loyalty programs, algorithmic pricing, “shrinkflation” and “skimpflation”

Notably, the examination follows the Bureau’s 2023 retail grocery market study, which focused on retail grocers but not other participants in the food supply chain. The Bureau has stated the following intended outcomes of the examination:

• Releasing a public report to share the results of the examination and recommendations directed at relevant governments on steps that can be taken to foster competition in the food supply chain
• Increasing the Bureau’s knowledge and understanding of competitive dynamics in the food supply chain for future merger reviews and to identify and respond to specific issues as they arise

The Bureau has confirmed this is not a formal market study under the Competition Act, which means the Bureau will not have the authority under the Act to obtain court orders compelling companies to provide documents or other information; however, it could inform a future market study, investigation or action. This is in line with the National Food Security Strategy, which notes that the Minister of Industry “will leverage her new market-study powers under the Competition Act as needed to support the Competition Bureau undertaking a thorough examination of the food supply chain. This examination will inform evidence-based policymaking and help discern what areas to prioritize in potential enforcement action”. 

Key Takeaways for Businesses

• Stakeholders have an opportunity to participate in the consultation, as the Bureau is accepting input until July 31, 2026
• Participants in the food industry should expect continued and increased scrutiny for conduct as well as transactions
• Businesses should ensure that competition compliance frameworks are current, given the increased regulatory attention on the food industry

For more information or if you are interested in providing feedback to this examination, please contact any member of our Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment group.