Sainsbury’s-Asda Merger Referred For ‘In-Depth’ CMA Investigation

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has referred the proposed merger between Sainsbury’s and Asda for an ‘in-depth’ Phase 2 investigation.

The CMA said on its website that it was carrying out the investigation because the merger may create a situation that would result in a ‘substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services, including in the retail supply of groceries in-store within local areas around each store operated by J Sainsbury Plc and Asda Group Ltd and at a national level’.

The Phase 2 investigation follows on from the Phase 1 process, which commenced in May.