Sobeys parent company Empire and Lactalis first to join grocery code

Lactalis Canada and Empire Company Ltd. are the first companies to formally sign on to the grocery code of conduct.

The Office of the Grocery Sector Code of Conduct (OGSCC) welcomed Empire—parent company of Sobeys—and dairy company Lactalis Canada as its first supplier and retailer members.

While Canada’s remaining major grocers—Loblaw, Metro, Walmart and Costco—endorsed the principles of the Canada Grocery Code last year, they must formally join for it to apply, the organization said. 

Final governance documents for the code are currently being completed.

"We are delighted to welcome Lactalis Canada and Empire Company Limited as the inaugural registrants to the OGSCC. Their support reflects the continued commitment of major players across the grocery sector to a fair and transparent supply chain,” Karen Proud, president and adjudicator of the OGSCC, said in a press release.

"We are pleased to see the first of the grocers, Empire Company Limited, register now and expect others to follow once the dispute resolution mechanism and other final governance documents are complete—if not earlier—and certainly before full implementation begins on January 1, 2026," said Ms. Proud.

Formal recruitment efforts are expected to begin this fall.