© Refresco/Richard Sinon
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has officially sanctioned Refresco’s $1.25 billion acquisition of Cott’s UK bottling operations.
The CMA conditionally approved the deal in January on the condition that Refresco would sell its Aseptic-PET facility in Nelson, Lancashire in order to avoid a lack of competition in the bottling sector.
Refresco has now sold the plant to UK-based Sunmagic Juice Limited, thus The CMA has cleared the way for Refresco to begin the integration of Cott’s UK bottling activities.
Refresco’s acquisition of Cott’s soft drinks business included the brand’s operations in the US and Mexico as well as its UK activities, and integration of Cott’s North American operations began in January.
Cott’s and Refresco had continued to operate as separate businesses in the UK while awaiting approval from the CMA, and integration of Cott’s operations can now begin in earnest.
A statement from The CMA said: “The CMA has today accepted undertakings in lieu of reference to phase two given by Refresco Group NV under section 73 of the Enterprise Act 2002.
“The merger between Refresco and Cott will therefore not be referred to phase two and the undertakings which have been signed by Refresco will come into effect from this date.”
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