Competition in Canada's Food Supply Chain

Canada’s food supply chain is shaped by concentrated markets at nearly every stage, from seeds and equipment to processing, transportation, distribution and grocery retail. In its submission to the Competition Bureau’s examination of competition in the food supply chain, CAMP argues that this concentration deserves closer scrutiny because it affects both the prices producers receive and the prices Canadians ultimately pay for food.

CAMP calls on the Bureau to examine how market power operates across the full chain, including consolidation in processing and equipment dealerships, access to rail and distribution infrastructure, the dependence of independent grocers on competitors’ wholesale networks, and pricing and exclusive dealing practices at the retail level. The submission also urges the Bureau to use lessons from past mergers and acquisitions to better understand how consolidation has shaped competition over time.

Check out CAMP’s full submission here.