The Competition Bureau is investigating allegations that prices on some merchandise were marked up ahead of the liquidation sales at Sears Canada that began last month, the court-appointed monitor overseeing the retailer says.
The monitorB次元官网网址檚 seventh report to Ontario Superior Court says the federal competition watchdog sent letters on Nov. 8 to the liquidators inquiring about the allegations that certain merchandise was marked up.
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A Competition Bureau spokeswoman said Thursday that the agency canB次元官网网址檛 comment or confirm any ongoing investigation.
But under federal law, she wrote in an email, consumers should not be misled by references to inflated regular prices and B次元官网网址漝oesnB次元官网网址檛 make any distinctions between retailers and liquidators or the nature of the promotional event.B次元官网网址�
For example, Amazon.com.ca Inc. agreed in January to pay a $1 million penalty and $100,000 towards costs after the bureau determined the online retailer hadnB次元官网网址檛 verified the accuracy of B次元官网网址渓ist priceB次元官网网址� information provided by its suppliers.
The bureau also works to achieve B次元官网网址渧oluntaryB次元官网网址� compliance with the act B次元官网网址渢hrough various types of communication to businesses or individuals in specific matters before, during and/or following an investigation.B次元官网网址�
A spokesman for Sears Canada told The Canadian Press that the company didnB次元官网网址檛 have a comment about a CBC B次元官网网址 report on Thursday that said it had spoken with a Sears Canada employee who said he was ordered to mark up prices shortly after liquidation sales began on Oct. 19.
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A call and emails to one of the Sears Canada liquidators were not answered Thursday.
Sears Canada has been under court protection since June and began the process of liquidating its remaining stores in October after failing to find a buyer.
After the sales began, several customers posted pictures to social media suggesting prices had been raised.
The joint-venture group running the liquidation includes Hilco Global, Gordon Brothers, Tiger Capital Group and Great American Group.
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