OFT gives Lion's Cumbrian Seafood deal the green light

The regulator said it would not refer the deal, which was completed on 6 December, to the Competition Commission, the Grocer reports

The OFT launched an investigation into the acquisition in January, after its mergers intelligence unit flagged up the deal as potentially problematic.

Lion Capital is the parent company of Young’s Seafood. At the time of the acquisition, competitors said they feared the addition of Cumbrian Seafoods to the business would give Young’s a dominant position in the smoked salmon market as well as greater market power in chilled seafoods.

Lion Capital and Cumbrian Seafoods had agreed to “hold separate” undertakings while the OFT was carrying out its investigation, the news source reported.