Merger Update: IVC/8 independent vet businesses

Merger decisions announced: Completed acquisitions by Independent Vetcare Limited of eight independent veterinary businesses

The CMA has decided, on the information currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that each of the following mergers has resulted or may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. Namely, IVC's acquisitions of:

·    Penrose Veterinary Group Limited;

·    Kevin Castle (Pet Care) Ltd;

·    Swayne & Partners Topco Limited (including Swayne & Partners Ltd);

·    Treforest Vets (Holdings) Limited (including Treforest Veterinary Clinic Ltd);

·    Mercer & Hughes Limited;

·    Swaffham Veterinary Centre Limited;

·    Anglesey Pet Clinic Ltd; and

·    Chiltern Equine Clinic (including Chiltern Veterinary Services Limited & Chiltern Bury Farm Limited).

The CMA is therefore considering whether to accept undertakings under section 73 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (the Act) in lieu of a reference. Pursuant to section 73A(1) of the Act, the Parties have until Friday 24 February 2023 to offer undertakings to the CMA in respect of each merger that might be accepted by the CMA under section 73(2) of the Act. If no such undertakings are offered in relation to one or more of the mergers listed above, then the CMA will refer the relevant merger or mergers, pursuant to sections 22(1) and 34ZA(2) of the Act:

The text of this decision will be placed on the Competition and Markets Authority's website at www.gov.uk/CMA as soon as is reasonably practicable.

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