This episode was originally published on August 28th, 2023. Listen to Monopoly 1 - Lost in the Supermarket and Monopoly 17 - Food FightIn 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 MassachusettsJim 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 PostStriking 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, AG1If you value this podcast, Support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody. You can listen ad-free on Amazon Music—included with Prime. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.