All major Canadian grocers are now adhering to a code of conduct, paving the way for industry guidelines that have been in the works for several years.
Federal, provincial and territorial agriculture ministers made the announcement Thursday at their annual meeting in Whitehorse.
They say holdouts Walmart and Costco have agreed to sign the code.
The voluntary grocery code aims to level the playing field for suppliers and small retailers by establishing guidelines for fair negotiations.
Progress on the code appeared to be in jeopardy last fall as it neared completion, with some major retailers saying they were not ready to adhere to it.
In May, Loblaw said it would accept the code if others in the industry did the same, saying its concerns had been alleviated by changes to the document.
After Loblaw’s announcement, attention turned to Walmart Canada and Costco, but both retailers have now agreed to support the code.