Loblaw Companies Limited confirmed a pilot expansion of body-worn cameras in select grocery stores and Shoppers Drug Mart locations across British Columbia, Ontario, and Manitoba, citing improved safety as the rationale.

Loblaw Companies Limited released its Modern Slavery Act Report for the 2024 fiscal year, detailing comprehensive measures to prevent and mitigate forced and child labour. The report outlines updated Colleague and Supplier Codes of Conduct, mandatory human rights training, extensive facility audits, Human Rights Impact Assessments, and a robust supply chain compliance framework including delisting non-compliant facilities.

The article reveals that the Weston family, associated with Loblaw, has donated significant sums over decades to both the Liberal and Conservative parties. These donations have acted as a corporate insurance policy, securing favorable policies and ensuring regulatory inaction, which undermines democratic accountability and tends to favor pro-corporate, authoritarian practices.

An investigative report reveals that Loblaw Companies Limited has employed nearly 60% former government insiders as lobbyists across federal and provincial levels, raising concerns about undue corporate influence and potential erosion of democratic accountability.

An investigation by The Fifth Estate revealed that Loblaw Companies Limited, through its Joe Fresh brand, has failed to uphold its commitments to safe factory conditions and fair wages in Bangladeshi garment factories. The report detailed numerous building and fire safety violations and highlighted inadequate wages for workers, raising serious concerns about labor practices and supply chain ethics.

Workers at 121 Loblaw-owned Ontario stores have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement negotiated by UFCW locals, securing a $4.60 per hour raise over five years and measures to protect pay gains linked to minimum wage increases. This agreement impacts nearly 26,000 grocery store workers and represents a significant win for labor rights.

Prime Minister Trudeau criticized Conservative leader Poilievre after reports emerged that Jenni Byrne + Associates—a firm with longstanding Conservative ties—lobbied on behalf of Loblaw during a period of high food inflation and rising grocery prices. The involvement raises concerns about corporate complicity in undermining democratic accountability and transparency in political lobbying.

Loblaw Companies Limited detailed its robust audit compliance program for its supply chain, which includes mandatory pre-sourcing audits and annual facility reviews to ensure suppliers uphold its Supplier Code of Conduct. The program emphasizes worker rights, safe working conditions, and strict actions—including de-listing facilities that violate labour standards such as child labour, forced labour, or safety breaches.

NDP MPs have called for an investigation into potentially inappropriate lobbying activities conducted by Jenni Byrne + Associates, a firm linked to influential Conservative strategists. Notably, the Ontario lobbyist registry shows that six employees from this firm are registered as lobbyists for Loblaw Companies Limited, raising concerns about corporate political influence and conflicts of interest.

In November 2020, Loblaw Companies Ltd. issued a statement outlining its commitment to high standards in human rights, responsible sourcing, and supply chain accountability. The company has engaged third-party experts, including ELEVATE and Ergon Associates, to conduct comprehensive human rights due diligence and periodic facility compliance audits aimed at mitigating risks such as forced labour, child labour, discrimination, and unsafe working conditions. These initiatives are part of Loblaw’s broader corporate governance framework, which includes a Supplier Code of Conduct and stringent audit processes to ensure compliance across its domestic and international supply chains.

Loblaw Companies Limited has taken significant steps to bolster its supply chain oversight and labor rights practices. The company issued a statement in November 2020 outlining its human rights position based on the United Nations Guiding Principles, and later engaged third‐party experts like ELEVATE and Ergon to conduct Human Rights Due Diligence and impact assessments across its domestic and international supply chains. These initiatives focus on mitigating risks such as forced labor, child labor, discrimination, inadequate worker safety, and other labor exploitation issues, thereby reinforcing responsible sourcing and supplier compliance.