A proposed class-action lawsuit against a Quebec maple syrup producer who sold cans of counterfeit syrup has expanded to include major grocery store chains as defendants. The lawsuit alleges that these chains should have taken more steps to verify the authenticity of the product they were selling as genuine Quebec maple syrup.
According to legal documents filed by law firm Slater Vecchio, the grocery stores showed negligence and recklessness by selling the fake maple syrup for several years, breaching the trust of their customers. The lawsuit, originally directed at syrup producer Steve Bourdeau after revelations that the syrup contained at least 50% cane sugar, now includes Metro, Sobeys, Loblaws, and Epicia Group as defendants.
The lead plaintiff in the case, Maude Fraser-Jodoin, a Quebec consumer who bought four cans of the fraudulent syrup, is seeking full refunds and $100 in punitive damages for anyone in Canada who purchased Bourdeau’s syrup since April 7, 2023. The lawsuit suggests a significant number of individuals may be eligible for compensation, although court approval is pending.
Bourdeau, captured in hidden camera footage boasting about his widespread sales of inexpensive syrup in Quebec and Ontario, denied altering his product, attributing any issues to his suppliers. Health Canada issued a recall notice for all of Bourdeau’s products in June due to container integrity defects and spoilage, with the Quebec Agriculture Ministry also investigating his operations.
The lawsuit argues that the grocery stores should have been more cautious in offering the low-priced syrup for sale, given its suspected quality issues. Metro, Sobeys, and Epicia have expressed intentions to challenge the class action request, while Loblaws has yet to formally respond to the allegations. Grocery chains were supposedly aware of complaints about the syrup’s quality as far back as 2016.
