(Reuters) – Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Wednesday that it has launched a formal investigation into the deal between Carlsberg and Britvic, setting a deadline of Dec. 18 for its phase-1 decision.
In July, Carlsberg struck a deal to acquire the British soft drinks maker for 3.3 billion pounds ($4.28 billion), with the Danish brewer aiming to establish a UK beverage “powerhouse”.
The competition regulator said it is assessing whether the deal is expected to result in a substantial reduction in competition in any market in the United Kingdom for goods or services.
“This is a normal process that was expected, and we look forward to working constructively with the CMA as it progresses,” a Carlsberg spokesperson told Reuters in an emailed statement.
Britvic did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
($1 = 0.7708 pounds)
(Reporting by Aatrayee Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema)
