Shoppers Drug Mart president out, Galen Weston in, as Loblaw shakes up management

The management shuffle announced at Loblaw Companies Ltd. on Thursday was met with mixed reaction from retail analysts.

The surprise changes saw Galen G. Weston, executive chairman of Loblaw Companies Ltd., expand his executive powers by taking over as president from the departing Vicente Trius, who is returning to Brazil citing family reasons, and included the announced departure of Shoppers Drug Mart president Domenic Pilla.

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In small-town Ontario, a protest by shoppers over being ‘horse-traded’

The guiding principle of the Competition Bureau proclaims the overriding power of the well-meant abstraction: Competition is good.

But somewhere in the unbridgeable distance between the bureau’s office block in Gatineau, Que., and the horse-drawn Mennonite buggies clip-clopping down the busy main street of Elmira, Ont., this benevolent concept has taken a troubling turn.

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Loblaw tests out smaller discount grocery store format in Calgary

Canada’s largest grocer is trying out a new discount small-store format in a bid to attract more customers in urban areas.

Loblaw Cos. Ltd. (TSX:L) said it opened the new 10,000-square foot store a few weeks ago in Calgary.

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Competition Board Tribunal

Competition Bureau Reaches Consent Agreement in Loblaw/Shoppers Deal

Agreement requires the selling of certain stores and behavioural restrictions

March 21, 2014 — OTTAWA, ON — Competition Bureau

The Competition Bureau announced today that it has reached a Consent Agreement with Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) to remedy competition concerns related to its proposed acquisition of Shoppers Drug Mart Corporation (Shoppers). The Consent Agreement will require the sale of 18 retail stores, and 9 pharmacies within a Loblaw store to an independent operator. It also contains certain behavioural restrictions on Loblaw programs and agreements with suppliers.

Complete decision with list of stores to be divested: