A Quebec class action is being brought
against four beef companies that are alleged to have an 85% share
of the Canadian market and an 80% of the American market.
The plaintiff, Option consommateurs, a
Quebec-based non-profit consumer advocacy group, alleges that the
defendants conspired to unduly restrict competition related to the
production, supply or sale of beef in Quebec since 2015.
The defendants in the proposed class action are: Cargill, Inc.,
Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., Cargill Ltd., JBS USA Food Company,
Swift Beef Company, JBS Packerland Inc., JBS Canada ULC, Tyson
Foods, Inc., Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc., National Beef Packing
Company, LLC.
The damages being sought are equivalent to the revenues
generated by allegedly artificially inflated portion of the selling
prices of beef in Québec.
