Expert legal advice from The Competition Lawyers

Category: Latest

Celesio and Sainsbury’s Pharmacy Business merger inquiry

First published by Admin on August 16, 2016 in the following categories: Latest

Celesio AG, through its subsidiary Llyods Pharmacy Ltd, has agreed to acquire the in-store pharmacy of Sainsbury’s Supermarket Limited.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) believes that the Celesio AG and Sainsbury’s Pharmacy will no longer be distinct and will have created a merger situation.

In December 2015 the CMA assessed the impact that the merger would have on retail supply prescription only medicines, pharmacy medicines, and pharmacy services to end-customers in local areas in the United Kingdom. They also assessed the impact the merger would have on the supply of outpatient dispensing services to hospitals in the UK, and the vertical relationship in the wholesale distribution of prescription only and pharmacy medicines, and the companies’ presence in the retail pharmacy sector.
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Anticipated Acquisition by Breedon Aggregates Limited

First published by Admin on August 12, 2016 in the following categories: Latest

Breedon Aggregates Limited agreed to acquire Hope Construction Materials Limited, creating a merger of the companies. The two companies both supply aggregates which are used as base materials in the construction of roads, buildings and infrastructures. They also supply ready mixed concrete. Breedon Aggregates Limited is a producer of asphalt, and Hope Construction Materials Limited is a producer of cement.

In November 2015, Breedon Aggregates Limited and Hope Construction Materials Limited signed a sale and purchase agreement for Breedon Aggregates Limited to acquire complete share capital of Hope Construction Limited.

Off the back of this, the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) had to investigate if this could affect completion in their market.
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Acadia Healthcare Company CMA Investigation

First published by Admin on August 11, 2016 in the following categories: Latest

On 16 February 2016, Acadia Healthcare Company acquired the entire share capital of Priory Group No.1 Ltd. It was announced later on in July 2016 by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that they would be investigating the acquisition of the company as they believed that that it would lead to a lessening of competition.

These sorts of investigations by the CMA are very common because they can lead to serious reductions of competition in the market .
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Lack of retail banking competition sparks investigation

First published by Admin on August 05, 2016 in the following categories: Latest and tagged with

In 2014, the Competition and Markets Authority launched an investigation into the personal current account and the small and medium sized enterprises of the retail banking sectors.

The reasons for the investigation were: concerns raised about the low level of customers shopping around and switching banks; customers having difficulty in comparing banks due to lack of transparency; limited entry of new banks to the market;  expansion within the sector which prevented smaller providers being able to develop; and the four largest banks market shares moving very little.

It is believed that competitive pressures are weak, so banks do not have to work as hard on prices or the quality of their service. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) want banks to work harder for their customers.
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Beijer Ref Ab and HRP Holdings Limited merger investigation

First published by Admin on August 04, 2016 in the following categories: Latest

The Competition and Market Authority (CMA) has carried out an investigation in to the merger of companies Beijer Ref Ab and HRP Holdings Limited.

The CMA carried out an investigation, based on information from third parties and Beijer, as to whether there was still competitive factors that would not breach competition law after the merger.
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Ladbrokes and Coral merger may give rise to competition concerns

First published by Admin on August 03, 2016 in the following categories: Latest

The Competition and Market Authority (CMA) are investigating the potential merger between Ladbrokes Plc and certain business in the Gala Coral Group Limited.

While the merger has not happened yet, the CMA have provisionally found that merger of the two companies could lead to competition concerns.
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The Competition Lawyers – what we do!

First published by Author on July 15, 2016 in the following categories: Latest

competition law

Competition law is a specialist and technical area of law.

We help people claim damages against organisations who have broken the law on fair competition. In today’s society we are governed by important legislation that is designed to allow fair competition to take place in the markets so consumers can benefit as well as businesses.

But when businesses put profits before their customers… That’s when we get involved.
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