ACCC not to oppose FoodWorks proposed supermarkets, liquor stores acquisition

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will not oppose the proposed acquisition of 45 supermarkets and eight adjoining liquor stores from Wesfarmers Limited, by Australian United Retailers Ltd (trading as FoodWorks).

The ACCC concluded that the proposed acquisition would be unlikely to result in a substantial lessening of competition in the relevant supermarket and liquor retail markets and in the relevant wholesale and procurement markets.

"In areas where FoodWorks already has a member supermarket, there would be at least one, and in the majority of cases, two or more, competing full-line supermarkets to the merged firm," ACCC Chairman, Graeme Samuel said.