CMA clears Takeaway-Just Eat merger

CMA clears Takeaway-Just Eat merger

The Competition and Markets authority has approved the acquisition of Just Eat plc by Takeaway.com NV

Just Eat operates in 13 countries, including in the UK.  Takeaway.com operates in 11 countries, including the Netherlands and Germany, but exited the UK market in 2016.

The CMA took into account that there are only a few companies that act as intermediaries between restaurants and customers in the food delivery sector and that re-entry by Takeaway might have given UK customers better choice and value.

However, the CMA is of the view that there is no realistic prospect that Takeaway.com would have re-entered the supply of online food platforms absent the merger.

The CMA published its final decision 26 days ahead of the statutory deadline.  It noted that in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 situation it is seeking to adopt flexible procedures to provide business certainty as far as possible.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-gives-just-eat-and-takeaway-com-deal-the-green-light