Doug Ford nixes idea of grocery surveillance pricing ban in Ontario

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is nixing the idea of banning so-called surveillance pricing on groceries, as Manitoba has proposed.

Ford says today that he believes in a free-market, capitalist society.

The Manitoba government is moving to ban what it calls “predatory pricing” on groceries, though the issue hasn’t been seen locally, after an investigation in the United States found some online shoppers using a third-party platform were charged different prices for the same item bought at the same time from the same seller.

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Ford says competition is the best driver of lower prices, but if any collusion is happening he will “tear them to shreds.”

The premier was also asked today about a planned City of Toronto pilot project to open four city-run grocery stores, which he calls “the craziest idea” he has ever heard.

Ford says he agrees that grocery prices are sky high, which he attributes to rising gas prices.