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Wolseley/Kooltech merger inquiry

Competition Markets Authority

December 22
12:05 2023

Statutory timetable

Date Action
7 December 2023 CMA to consider undertakings offered
23 November 2023 Deadline for phase 1 decision
28 September 2023 Launch of merger inquiry
11 September 2023 to 11 October 2023 Invitation to comment

Phase 1

CMA to consider undertakings offered

7 December 2023: The Parties have offered undertakings in lieu of a reference to the CMA, which involve the divestment of Kooltechs branch in Aberdeen. The CMA considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the undertakings offered by the Parties, or a modified version of them, might be accepted by the CMA under the Enterprise Act.

Reference unless undertakings accepted

23 November 2023: The CMA has decided, on the information currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for a phase 2 investigation unless the parties offer acceptable undertakings to address these competition concerns.

Launch of merger inquiry

28 September 2023: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the Parties.

Invitation to comment: closes on 11 October 2023

11 September 2023: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services.

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.

These comments should be provided by the deadline set out above.

Contact

Please send written representations about any competition or public interest to:

Published 11 September 2023
Last updated 22 December 2023 +show all updates
  1. Decision that undertakings might be accepted and Reference unless undertakings accepted full text decision published.

  2. UIL decision in principle added to case page

  3. Summary of Phase 1 decision published.

  4. Commencement notice published

  5. First published.

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