Merger Update: Asda/Arthur (Co-op)

CMA to look at undertakings offered by Asda, the Issa Brothers and TDR in detail

COMPLETED ACQUISITION BY ASDA STORES LIMITED OF ARTHUR FOODSTORES LIMITED FROM CO-OPERATIVE GROUP LIMITED

On 14 March 2023, the CMA announced that it is or may be the case that the above Merger has resulted or may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom.

On 21 March 2023, Asda Stores Limited, Asda Group Limited, Mr Mohsin Issa, Mr Zuber Issa, and TDR Capital LLP offered undertakings to the CMA. 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 30 May 2023 to decide whether to accept the undertakings, with the possibility to extend this timeframe to 25 July 2023 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 website at https://www.gov.uk/cma-cases as soon as is reasonably practical.

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