Starting news article english 19 April 2013

Clifford Chance ADVISES Booker Group plc on the competition commission's clearance of its completed acquisition of Makro holding limited

Clifford Chance's London antitrust team advised Booker Group PLC in securing Competition Commission clearance of its £140m completed acquisition of the Makro wholesale business.

The Clifford Chance team were instructed by Booker after the completed acquisition was referred by the UK Office of Fair Trading ("OFT") to the Competition Commission in November 2012.  At that time, the OFT had raised concerns about the possible competitive effect of the merger at both the national level and locally in relation to 22 out of Makro's 30 stores.  After a thorough review, the Competition Commission today cleared the merger without requiring any national or local remedies.

Greg Olsen, the partner leading the Clifford Chance team commented: "We are delighted to have played a role in achieving this tremendous turn around and outcome for Booker.  The combined business is now able to get on with the critical job of integration and achieving the goal of improving choice, prices and service for caterers, retailers and small businesses in the UK."

The Clifford Chance team was composed of antitrust lawyers Greg Olsen, Alastair Mordaunt, Richard Blewett, Jennifer Storey  and Shane Stewart together with Booker relationship partner David Pudge from the Firm's corporate practice.