From Funnel Cakes to Food Apps: Competition Bureau Takes Aim at Drip Pricing
June 10th, 2025
The Canadian Competition Bureau has launched two separate legal actions against major companies for allegedly engaging in misleading pricing practices, continuing its crackdown on so-called “drip pricing.”
On June 6, 2025, the Bureau announced that it is suing DoorDash, alleging that the food delivery platform advertised prices and discounts that did not reflect the true cost to consumers. According to the Bureau, DoorDash’s online and in-app listings often excluded mandatory fees until the final stages of the checkout process, potentially misleading consumers about the actual price of their orders.
Just weeks earlier, on May 23, 2025, the Bureau filed a similar suit against Canada’s Wonderland, accusing the amusement park of advertising ticket prices online that failed to include mandatory fees. The Bureau alleges that consumers were only made aware of these additional charges late in the purchasing process, contrary to the Competition Act’s provisions on deceptive marketing.
Both cases are being brought before the Competition Tribunal. The Bureau is seeking monetary penalties and orders to stop the alleged conduct. These actions underscore the Bureau’s ongoing focus on digital transparency and consumer protection in online marketplaces. In September 2024, the Competition Tribunal ordered Cineplex to pay $39 million and to stop making alleged false or misleading price representations in their sale of movie tickets online.
