Doug Ford meets with Loblaw CEO following grocery pricing debate

Ontario Premier Doug Ford met privately with Loblaw CEO Per Bank at the premier’s Etobicoke residence on April 17. The 45-minute meeting occurred one day after Ford rejected opposition proposals for legislation aimed at restricting surveillance pricing in grocery stores.

Opposition parties, including the Ontario NDP and Liberals, had advocated for measures to limit the use of customer data to adjust prices. Ford had dismissed these calls on April 16, arguing that market competition rather than government intervention should dictate grocery costs. While the premier’s office stated that Ford regularly meets with business stakeholders, the specific contents of the discussion regarding retail-sector policies or data privacy were not disclosed.