This episode was originally published on August 28th, 2023.

Listen to Monopoly 1 - Lost in the Supermarket and Monopoly 17 - Food Fight

In the past several years, Loblaws, Metro and Empire have spent billions on their own stock – And at a time of food price inflation and grocery workers on strike.

Why are they doing it? And why do some economists say stock buybacks should be abolished?

Featured in this episode:

William Lazonick, professor emeritus of economics at University of Massachusetts

Jim Stanford, director of the Centre for Future Work

Further reading:

Profits Without Prosperity, William Lazonick, Harvard Business Review
“The American disease’: Canadian companies pouring cash into stock buybacks as backlash grows abroad, Geoff Zochodne, Financial Post
Striking Metro workers say they face challenges affording the very food they sell, Canadian Press

Host: Jesse Brown

Credits: Cherise Seucharan (Reporter), Jonathan Goldsbie (News Editor), Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor), Karyn Pugliese (Editor-in-Chief)

Sponsors: Douglas, AG1

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