This week competition issues in the UK’s grocery sector have made good reading as the UK’s Office of Fair Trading was accused of pursuing a “vendetta” against retailers after it expanded its price fixing probe and the Competition Commission delivered the results of its two-year investigation into the sector. Other news that caught your attention included the Mars-Wrigley merger, Campbell’s production cutbacks and Carrefour’s Chinese woes.


UK: CC looks to curb supermarket powers
The Competition Commission this morning (30 April) announced a swathe of measures designed to curb the power of the UK’s largest supermarkets and improve choice for consumers.


UK: OFT under fire for “vendetta” against retailers
The Office of Fair Trading has been accused by UK investment bank Cazanove of pursuing a grudge against retailers in its latest investigation into price fixing in the sector, a charge that has been denied by the OFT.


US: Mars to buy Wrigley for US$23bn
Mars has agreed to buy confectionery rival Wrigley in a deal worth US$23bn, the companies have announced today (28 April).


CANADA/AUS: Campbell to close production sites
Campbell Soup Co., the US food group, is to close plants in Canada and Australia in a bid to further focus its business on simple meals, baked snacks and beverages.

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CHINA: Carrefour faces May Day boycott
French retail giant Carrefour is facing renewed calls for consumers to shun its retail outlets in China in a boycott scheduled to begin on Thursday (1 May), the company told just-food.

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