Merger Update: Admiral/Hampden

CMA invites comments on Admiral/Hampden Pub Estate merger remedy, publishes decision to accept UILs in principle and full text decision

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has opened a consultation on undertakings proposed by Admiral Taverns to address the CMA's competition concerns.

On 27 October 2021, the CMA announced that it would refer the acquisition for an in-depth investigation unless Admiral Taverns offered acceptable undertakings to address the CMA's competition concerns.

To address the CMA's concerns, Admiral Taverns has offered to to divest seven pubs to address the CMA's competition concerns in seven local areas.

On 9 November 2021, the CMA announced that it would look in detail at these undertakings. The CMA has until 10 January 2022 to consider whether to accept the undertakings, or a modified version of them, with the possibility to extend this timeframe to 7 March 2022 if it considers there are special reasons for doing so.

As part of this process, the CMA is now consulting publicly on whether the proposals are sufficient to address the CMA's competition concerns.

Before reaching a final decision, the CMA is therefore inviting interested parties to make their views known. The deadline for responses is 30 November 2021.

The CMA has also published today the full text decision to refer unless acceptable undertakings are offered, and its decision to accept undertakings in principle.

The consultation on the undertakings and all other information relating to this merger investigation can be found on the case page at https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases.

In the event of media enquiries please email Press@cma.gov.uk.