Statement from the Acting Commissioner of Competition on appeal court's ruling in Cineplex deceptive marketing case

Canada NewsWire

GATINEAU, QC, Jan. 23, 2026

The Federal Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the Competition Bureau

GATINEAU, QC, Jan. 23, 2026 /CNW/ - Jeanne Pratt, Acting Commissioner of Competition, issued a statement following the Federal Court of Appeal's decision to uphold a September 2024 ruling by the Competition Tribunal in a deceptive marketing case involving Cineplex.

"We welcome the Federal Court of Appeal's decision—another resounding win for Canadians. This outcome reinforces the Bureau's clear stance that businesses should not advertise prices that are not attainable.

Canadians deserve transparency when making purchases. Businesses that fail to comply with the law risk significant financial penalties.

Our continued work on this file, along with other drip pricing cases underlines our commitment to tackling deceptive marketing practices."

Quick Facts

On May 18, 2023, the Bureau filed an application with the Competition Tribunal, seeking, among other things, for Cineplex to stop its deceptive advertising.
On September 23, 2024, the Competition Tribunal ruled in favour of the Competition Bureau and found that Cineplex engaged in drip pricing.
On October 23, 2024, Cineplex filed a notice of appeal, with the Federal Court of Appeal to overturn the Competition Tribunal's decision.
On October 8, 2025, Cineplex's application was heard by the Federal Court of Appeal.
On January 21, 2026, the Federal Court of Appeal dismissed Cineplex's appeal, with costs.
Drip pricing involves offering low prices to attract consumers but then adding mandatory fees so that the prices are unattainable. This practice is against the Act, unless the additional fixed charges or fees are imposed by the government on purchasers, such as sales tax.
The Bureau has taken action against drip pricing for many years under the Deceptive Marketing Practices provisions of the Competition Act.
In May 2024, the Bureau issued a consumer alert to raise awareness and reporting of drip pricing.
We strongly encourage anyone who suspects that a company or individual is making false or misleading price claims to report it by using the Bureau's online complaint form.

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The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that protects and promotes competition for the benefit of Canadian consumers and businesses. Competition drives lower prices and innovation while fueling economic growth.

SOURCE Competition Bureau