A PYMNTS Company

UK: Heineken to offer concessions to appease regulator

By  |  June 13, 2017

Heineken offered to make concessions as the UK’s antitrust regulator warned that the company’s planned purchase of 1,900 Punch Taverns pubs could reduce competition, leading to price increases and poorer service.

    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 Competition and Markets Authority said on Tuesday it had identified 33 local areas where Heineken and Punch pubs would not face sufficient competition after the merger. Heineken must now offer proposals to address these concerns by June 20 or face an in-depth investigation into the merger, the UK regulator said in a statement on its website.

    “We are confident we canoffer the CMA suitable undertakings to satisfy their concerns,” Heineken UK Managing Director David Forde said in a statement.

    “We have listened very carefully to a range of concerns about this merger,” said Andrea Coscelli, the CMA’s acting chief executive. “The companies will own less than 10 percent of all British pubs after any deal, but we are concerned about the loss of competition for pub goers in a number of local area.

    Full Content: Globe Newswire

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