Canada’s biggest grocers named in class action over ‘fake’ maple syrup

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeNewsCanada Canada’s biggest grocers named in class action over ‘fake’ maple syrup Loblaw, Metro, Sobeys and Epicia have all contested a proposed class action over maple syrup cut with cane sugar Author of the article: By Mason Kossak Published Aug 20, 2026 4 minute read Join the conversation Maple syrup cans at a sugar shack in Quebec. PHOTO BY RYAN REMIORZ/THE CANADIAN PRESS Article content Metro, Sobeys and Loblaw are now defendants in a proposed class action over maple syrup tests found to be half cane sugar. Article content An amended application filed Aug. 3 in Quebec Superior Court added the three chains and Groupe Epicia, which runs Val-Mont grocery stores, CTV News reported. Article content Article content The four are accused of demonstrating “negligence, recklessness, carelessness, or serious indifference” by putting the syrup on their shelves. The suit says the price alone should have prompted them to check it. Article content Article content A Quebec judge has to authorize a class action before it can proceed, and nothing in the application has been tested in court. The case has moved from the producer to the chains that sold his product. Article content NP Posted Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content The proposed class covers anyone in Canada who bought a can produced by 9227-8712 Quebec Inc. since Oct. 5, 2010, which the suit gives as the date Erabliere Steve Bourdeau began selling maple syrup. Hundreds of thousands of people, and possibly millions, could be eligible, CBC News reported. Article content It seeks a refund of the purchase price, unspecified compensatory damages and $100 in punitive damages for each person in the class. Article content Radio-Canada’s investigative program Enquete bought five cans of Bourdeau’s syrup at random in April, from different stores and different batches, and had them tested at le centre ACER, the provincial lab responsible for maple syrup quality control in Quebec. Grocers were selling his cans for as low as $4.99. Article content All five were labelled pure. All five came back with at least 50 per cent cane sugar. Luc Lagace, the lab’s director of research,…