Statement Of Preliminary Issues Released For Woolworths’ Proposed Acquisition Of PETstock

The Commerce Commission has published a statement of preliminary issues relating to an application from Woolworths Group Limited seeking clearance to acquire 55% of the shares in PETstock Pty Limited.

The statement outlines the key competition issues that the Commission considers important in deciding whether or not to grant clearance to the proposed acquisition.

The Commission invites interested parties to provide comments on the likely competitive effects of the proposed acquisition. Submissions can be sent by email to registrar@comcom.govt.nz with the reference “Woolworths/PETstock” in the subject line. Any submissions should be received by close of business on 13 March 2023.

If you would like to make a submission but face difficulties in doing so within the timeframe, please ensure that you register your interest with the Commission at registrar@comcom.govt.nz so that we can work with you to accommodate your needs where possible.

The Commission is currently scheduled to make a decision on the application by 3 April 2023. However, this date may be extended as the investigation progresses.

The Statement of Preliminary Issues and a public version of the application can be found on the Commission’s case register.

Background

We will give clearance to a proposed merger if we are satisfied that the merger is unlikely to have the effect of substantially lessening competition in a market.

Further information explaining how the Commission assesses a merger application is available on our website.
 

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