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VetPartners Limited / Goddard Holdco Limited merger inquiry

Competition Markets Authority

September 12
10:15 2022

Statutory timetable

Date Action
2 September 2022 Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted
8 August 2022 to 19 August 2022 Consultation on proposed undertakings in lieu of reference
13 May 2022 CMA to consider undertakings offered
28 April 2022 Decision announced
1 March 2022 Launch of merger inquiry
1 March 2022 to 15 March 2022 Invitation to comment
15 November 2021 Initial enforcement order

Phase 1

Undertakings in lieu of reference accepted

2 September 2022: The CMA has accepted undertakings in lieu of reference for the completed acquisition by Scooby Bidco Limited, trading through its subsidiary VetPartners Limited, of Goddard Holdco Limited.

Undertakings in lieu of reference consultation: now closed

5 August 2022: We are consulting on proposed undertakings in lieu of reference for the completed acquisition by Scooby Bidco Limited, trading through its subsidiary VETPartners Limited of Goddard Holdco Limited.

Extension of consideration of undertakings in lieu

11 July 2022: The CMA has extended the consideration of undertakings in lieu of reference until 7 September 2022.

CMA to consider undertakings offered

13 May 2022: VetPartners offered undertakings to the CMA, which involve divesting veterinary practises. The CMA considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the undertakings offered by VetPartners or a modified version of them, might be accepted by the CMA under the Enterprise Act 2002.

Reference unless undertakings accepted

28 April 2022: 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

1 March 2022: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.

Invitation to comment: closed

1 March 2022: The CMA is considering whether it is or may be the case that this transaction has resulted 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 has resulted, or 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.

Initial enforcement order

15 November 2021: The CMA served an initial enforcement order under section 72(2) of the Enterprise Act 2002 in relation to the completed acquisition by Scooby Bidco Limited, trading through its subsidiary VETPartners Limited of Goddard Holdco Limited.

Amendments / consents granted

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