A PYMNTS Company

CMA Probes £780M Marston’s Carlsberg Deal

By  |  August 19, 2020

The UK competition regulator has launched a probe into the £780 million (US$1.02 billion) merger of Marston’s and Carlsberg’s UK brewing operations.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    The two brewers agreed a deal in May to merge Marston’s brewing arm with Carlsberg’s UK division and create a new joint venture.

    However, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on Wednesday, August 19, that it has begun a formal competition enquiry into the merger and invited comments from interested parties.

    The CMA statedit has launched a “phase 1” investigation following the European Commission’s decision to refer the case to the United Kingdom.

    The competition body will consider whether the deal constitutes a merger under the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, if it could be expected to lead to “a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.”

    The invitation to comment is open until September 2, with the deadline for the phase 1 decision and whether to launch a more in-depth “phase 2” investigation by October 19.

    Full Content: The Grocer

    Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.