Federal Court of Appeal upholds ruling against Cineplex in deceptive marketing case

The Federal Court of Appeal has ruled in favour of the Competition Bureau, upholding a previous decision that found Cineplex engaged in deceptive marketing practices through drip pricing.

The appeal court upheld a September 2024 ruling by the Competition Tribunal, which found Cineplex had violated the Competition Act by advertising low prices while adding mandatory fees later in the purchasing process.

The Competition Bureau filed its application with the tribunal on May 18, 2023, seeking an order requiring Cineplex to stop the practice. Cineplex appealed the decision on Oct. 23, 2024, and the case was heard by the Federal Court of Appeal on Oct. 8, 2025. The appeal was dismissed with costs on Jan. 21, 2026.

Drip pricing refers to the practice of advertising a price that does not include mandatory fees, making the advertised price unattainable. The practice is prohibited under the Competition Act, except where additional fixed charges are imposed by governments, such as sales taxes.