UK: CMA demands Euro Car Parts divest assets

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has found that Euro Car Parts’ purchase of Andrew Page could reduce competition in nine areas across the UK and has demanded that a number of depots be sold to mitigate its concerns.

The nine local areas that could be affected by the deal are Blackpool, Brighton, Gloucester, Liphook, Scunthorpe, Sunderland, Wakefield, Worthing and York. Euro Car Parts must now sell a depot in each of these areas to a purchaser approved by the CMA so that customers don’t lose out.

Swindon had also been identified during the provisional findings stage, but new evidence came to light which resulted in the group deciding that competition would not be affected in this area.

Euro Car Parts bought most of the Andrew Page business in October 2016, after the company went into administration.

Both companies own a network of depots across the UK from which they sell car parts to independent garages and workshops and to larger national or multi-regional customers, including repair centre chains, vehicle fleets and roadside assistance companies.

Full Content: The Business Desk

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.