The Competition Bureau issued a call-out Monday, seeking information from grocery retailers and those in the real estate business about restrictive real estate clauses in the Canadian grocery industry.
The regulator said it is seeking input from those in the sector about the restrictions, often referred to as property controls, both in the industry as a whole and as part of its ongoing investigations into Sobeys and Loblaw. The request is part of an investigation into property controls the Commissioner of Competition launched against grocers earlier this year.
The practice involves a grocer adding a clause to a lease or deed—sometimes called a restrictive covenant—to limit the kind of store that can open at a location after the grocer leaves the property….