07:18 AM EDT, 05/24/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Canada's Competition Bureau has launched investigations into the parent companies of grocery chains Loblaws and Sobeys for alleged anticompetitive conduct, court documents reveal, with Sobeys' owner calling the inquiry "unlawful", The Canadian Press is reporting Friday.

Friday's report noted the Federal Court documents show the Commissioner of Competition launched the probes on March 1, saying there's reason to believe the firms' use of so-called property controls limits retail grocery competition. The commissioner claims the controls that the grocery giants have baked into lease agreements are designed to restrict other potential tenants and their activities and are hampering competition in the grocery market.

The Competition Bureau had revealed its investigation into the use of property controls in the grocery sector in February. At the time, deputy commissioner Anthony Durocher told a House of Commons committee that property controls can be a barrier both for independent grocery stores and chains looking to expand, as well as for foreign players looking to enter Canada.

The Canadian Press said that's why in a report last June, the bureau recommended the government limit their use in the grocery sector in order to help boost competition and make it easier for new supermarkets to open.

It noted Industry minister Francois-Philippe Champagne has said he's seeking a foreign grocer to strengthen competition in the Canadian market.

Loblaw Cos. Ltd. ( LBLCF ) and Sobeys parent Empire Co. Ltd. (EMP-A.TO) are two of the three major Canadian grocery companies and each owns a number of grocery chains across the country.

Friday's report noted details of the investigations are contained in a pair of court applications lodged by the commissioner on May 6.

Sobeys owner Empire has pushed back against the investigation, saying in a separate court application that the probe gave the commissioner "the appearance of a lack of independence" amid public criticism from federal politicians over grocery pricing and retailers' conduct.

Loblaws' parent company is co-operating with the bureau's review, said spokeswoman Catherine Thomas on behalf of George Weston Ltd ( WNGRF ) . "Restrictive covenants are very common in many industries, including retail. They help support property development investments, encouraging opening of new stores and capital risk-taking," she said.

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