The regulator said Monday it will examine how competition in the retail space influences prices and make recommendations on how governments can improve it. It will accept submissions for the study until mid-December. (The Logic)

Talking point: Food prices in Canada were up 11.4 per cent year over year in September, according to Statistics Canada’s inflation data—a 41-year high. The grocery chains that together sell the bulk of beef, beets and bran flakes in this country have resisted suggestions they’re profiting off those increases. Last month, Empire CEO Michael Medline called links between prices and retailers’ bottom lines “reckless” and “incendiary.” Loblaw announced a “price freeze” on items from its in-house No Name brand; that’s just standard grocery practice in the last quarter, Metro retorted. Still, the sector has attracted regulatory scrutiny, with Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne last week asking for the Bureau’s eyes on it. The agency noted the study isn’t an investigation, and it’s not looking into “any specific allegations of wrongdoing.” It also won’t be able to compel data and records from grocers, a power for which commissioner Matthew Boswell recently called for again.