A Quebec maple syrup producer facing a proposed class-action lawsuit for selling counterfeit syrup is now seeing major grocery store chains added as defendants. The lawsuit alleges that the grocery stores neglected their duty to ensure the authenticity of the maple syrup they sold. The legal documents filed by Slater Vecchio claimed that the grocery stores showed negligence and indifference by selling the fake syrup for several years.
The class-action lawsuit initially targeted syrup producer Steve Bourdeau after it was revealed that he sold syrup to grocery stores that had been diluted with at least 50% cane sugar despite being labeled as pure maple syrup. The lawsuit has now been amended to include grocery store chains Metro, Sobeys, Loblaws, and Epicia Group as defendants. The lead plaintiff, Maude Fraser-Jodoin, a Quebec consumer, had purchased at least four cans of the counterfeit syrup.
Hidden camera footage from Radio-Canada’s Enquête showed Bourdeau boasting about selling his products at a low price in hundreds of grocery stores in Quebec and Ontario. The lawsuit seeks full refunds and $100 in punitive damages for anyone in Canada who bought Bourdeau’s syrup since April 7, 2023, with the potential for hundreds of thousands or even millions of people to be eligible for compensation. The lawsuit is pending court approval.
While some grocery stores offered refunds for Bourdeau’s syrup following the Enquête story, the lawsuit argues that this is insufficient. It insists that a class-action lawsuit is necessary to ensure justice for consumers and seeks compensation with interest and additional punitive damages. The lawsuit claims that the grocery store chains should have recognized the fake syrup due to its unusually low price.
The lawsuit also cites inspection reports from Quebec’s Agriculture Ministry, indicating that Metro, Sobeys, and Epicia were aware of complaints about the quality of Bourdeau’s syrup as far back as 2016. Metro, Sobeys, and Epicia have expressed intentions to challenge the class-action request, while Loblaws has yet to respond formally. Bourdeau denied altering his syrup and shifted blame to his suppliers, promising to investigate the issue.
Health Canada issued a recall notice for all of Bourdeau’s products in June due to container integrity defects and spoilage, with Quebec’s Agriculture Ministry launching its investigation into Bourdeau’s operations.