Ms. Karen White-Boswell reports

EMPIRE COMPANY LIMITED RELEASES STATEMENT REGARDING PROPERTY CONTROLS

Empire Company Ltd. and its wholly owned subsidiary Sobeys Inc., today published a statement outlining its comprehensive approach to grocery-related property controls, which reflects the company's ongoing commitment to a competitive and accessible grocery market for Canadians.

The statement outlines Empire's approach to restrictive covenants, exclusivity clauses and related governance practices.

The company remains focused on supporting customer choice and access, engaging constructively with stakeholders, and advocating for a clear, consistent and balanced framework that applies equally across the grocery sector and other industries.

About Empire Company Ltd.

Empire Company is headquartered in Stellarton, N.S. Empire's key businesses are food retailing, through wholly owned subsidiary Sobeys Inc., and related real estate. With approximately $32-billion in annual sales and $17-billion in assets, Empire and its subsidiaries, franchisees and affiliates employ approximately 130,000 people.