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UK Watchdog Probes Amazon’s $1.7B iRobot Acquisition

By  |  April 18, 2023

The UK’s competition regulator has initiated a preliminary investigation, referred to as “Phase 1”, into Amazon’s proposed purchase of iRobot, the company responsible for producing the Roomba vacuum cleaner, for $1.7 billion.

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    The UK watchdog has launched a probe at a time when antitrust regulators in the US and European Union are becoming more cautious about large companies acquiring smaller competitors.

    The Amazon-iRobot deal, which aimed to increase the range of smart home devices, was announced in August of last year and is currently under review by the US Federal Trade Commission.

    Read more: FTC Seeks More Info On Amazon’s $1.7B iRobot Deal

    Amazon and Microsoft are being investigated for potential antitrust violations in Britain due to concerns regarding certain aspects of the cloud market, such as supplier switching fees.

    Amazon stated that they are working with regulators in their review of the merger in a cooperative manner, in response to a request for comment from Reuters.

    According to a spokesperson for iRobot, the company is working in collaboration with both the US FTC and various regulatory agencies.