Merger Update: CVS/The Vet

CMA to look at CVS' proposed Undertakings in Lieu of Reference in detail

CVS Group plc/Quality Pet Care Ltd (trading as The Vet)

On 18 February 2022 the CMA announced that it is or may be the case that the above Merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom.

On 25 February 2022, CVS offered undertakings to the CMA, which involve divesting the entire The Vet business. The CMA has considered the undertakings offered and today announced that it considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the undertakings offered, or a modified version of them, might be accepted by the CMA to remedy the substantial lessening of competition identified by the CMA.

The CMA now has until 4 May 2022 to decide whether to accept the undertakings, with the possibility to extend this timeframe to 1 July 2022 if it considers there are special reasons for doing so.

The text of this decision will be placed on the Competition and Markets Authority's web site at CVS / Quality Pet Care merger inquiry - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) as soon as is reasonably practical.

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