In a recent judgment,1 the Quebec Superior Court
approved a national class action settlement involving Dollarama
regarding the alleged misleading display of certain "Eco
Fees" charged by the retailer.
This settlement came just a few months after another class
action proceeding was authorized, also against Dollarama (among
other parties), regarding allegations of greenwashing related to
the retailer's plastic shopping bags.2
This bulletin discusses the rationale as well as the
implications of these judgments for Quebec businesses and
consumers.
Settlement Reached in the Eco Fees Class Action
The What and the Why Behind "Eco Fees"
In Quebec, the Regulation respecting the recovery and
reclamation of products by enterprises (the
"Regulation") has been in force since
2011 and applies to certain products sold, such as electronic
products, pharmaceutical products, batteries and
paint.3
