UK Regulator Probes Carlsberg’s £3.3 Billion Britvic Deal Over Competition Concerns

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has officially launched a probe into Danish brewer Carlsberg’s £3.3 billion ($4.28 billion) acquisition of Britvic, a leading British soft drinks producer. The regulator aims to determine whether the merger could negatively affect competition within the U.K. market.

According to MSN, the CMA has set an initial deadline of December 18 to conclude its preliminary review of the deal. As part of the investigation process, the agency has issued a second invitation for interested parties to provide feedback. Third-party stakeholders have until November 6 to submit their comments on how the deal could potentially impact market competition.

This latest call for comments follows the CMA’s initial announcement on September 10, when the regulator first expressed concerns about whether the acquisition might lead to reduced competition for certain goods and services in the U.K. The second phase of feedback is designed to give third parties another chance to voice their opinions before the CMA reaches a decision.

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The acquisition, announced in July, would see Carlsberg take control of Britvic, a company known for its well-established nonalcoholic beverage brands such as Robinsons, Fruit Shoot, Tango, and J2O. Carlsberg, whose portfolio includes the flagship Carlsberg lager, Somersby cider, and Garage alcopop, sees the deal as a strategic move to diversify its offerings and reduce its dependence on beer sales. As per MSN, the brewer is keen to expand its footprint in the nonalcoholic drinks sector amid changing consumer preferences.

Source: MSN