On 29 July 2016, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that Celesio will have to sell a Lloyds pharmacy in each of the 12 local areas in which it had found a significant lessening of competition to a new owner, to be approved by the CMA, to maintain the current level of competition for local customers in those areas. Celesio is not permitted to close its pharmacies in those areas.
Celesio and its subsidiary Lloyds Pharmacy Limited have now offered undertakings to sell the required number of pharmacies to one or more suitable buyer(s) to be approved by the CMA. The CMA now invites written comments from interested parties.
Anyone wishing to respond to the CMA consultation should do so in writing, by no later than 5 pm on 15 October 2016 to celesio.sainsburys@cma.gsi.gov.uk or write to:
Remedies Manager
Celesio/Sainsbury’s Merger Inquiry
Competition and Markets Authority
Victoria House
Southampton Row
London
WC1B 4AD
The notice of proposal to accept final undertakings and all other information relating to this investigation can be found on the case page.