SUZY SHIER PLEADS GUILTY
By Adnews Staff
Montreal-based Suzy Shier was fined $300,000 after pleading guilty to a charge of misleading advertising in the criminal division of the Court of Quebec. The federal bureau of Competition Policy said the womenswear retailer was offering clothing at discount prices, with price tags indicating the original price, the special price and the amount of the discount. In-store signs also advertised discounts of 50% to 70%. The bureau found the original price did not represent the regular price because the clothing was never sold at that amount. In addition, the clothing was already tagged 'special' before even entering the store. This is the third such conviction in less than a year. In December, Color Your World was fined $225,000 and Kmart Canada had to pay $200,000, both for misleading advertising. Hudson's Bay Co.'s Bay department store is fighting charges under the federal Competition Act relating to newspaper ads and flyers that appeared in 1989 and 1990.