The UK’s competition watchdog has cleared Whitby Seafoods’ acquisition of the frozen scampi operations of fellow UK processor Dawnfresh Seafoods.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a probe into the deal in April, three months after the transaction was announced. The CMA served Whitby Seafoods with an “initial enforcement order”, which said the company had to maintain the “sales and brand identity” of the Dawnfresh assets.
The CMA said then that it was considering “whether it is or may be the case that this transaction has resulted in the creation of a relevant merger situation … and, if so, whether the creation of that situation has resulted, or may be expected to result, in a substantial lessening of competition”.
However, the CMA said yesterday (20 June) it had cleared the acquisition and would issue a full decision statement in due course.
The acquisition saw Whitby Seafoods add to its own scampi assets with the move for operations held by Scotland-based Dawnfresh.
