The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday, Dec. 30, edition that Loblaw and parent company George Weston say they have both entered into automatic share-purchase plans with brokers. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that the plans will allow the grocer's broker to buy back shares at times when Loblaw and George Weston would not be active because of insider trading rules and internal trading blackout periods. The automatic buybacks will form part of the companies' existing repurchase programs. Loblaw has a program running until May 4 to buy up to 16 million shares or about 5 per cent of its issued and outstanding shares. George Weston's normal course issuer bid runs to May 24, under which it could buy up to almost seven million shares, also about 5 per cent of issued and outstanding shares. Companies routinely conduct share buyback programs as a way to return capital to shareholders and to try to boost share price.