Mergers: Commission approves proposed acquisition of Wrigley by Mars

The European Commission has cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of sole control of Wrigley by Mars (both US-based confectionary companies). The Commission has concluded that the proposed transaction would not significantly impede effective competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) or any substantial part of it.
Mars is a US-based family-owned company. It is active worldwide in confectionery, food and pet care products. Its confectionary business comprises chocolate confectionary and, to a smaller extent, sugar confectionary.

Wrigley is a US-based multinational company active worldwide in gum and sugar confectionery. It is listed on the New York and the Chicago stock exchanges. Wrigley’s principal products are gum and hard candy.

There is no overlap in the parties' core confectionary activities (chocolate and gum). Although both parties are active in sugar confectionary, the limited market shares do not give rise to competition concerns.

The Commission also concluded that there is no risk that the joint entity could use the strong market position Wrigley currently enjoys on the gum markets to gain an unfair advantage over their competitors through foreclosure of chocolate markets.

More information on the case will be available at:
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/competition/mergers/cases/index/m103.html#m_5188