The Italian Competition Authority conditionally clears a merger between two grocery retailers (Conad / Auchan)

By a II-Phase decision clearance issued in Conad/Auchan [1], the Italian Competition Authority (ICA) gave a conditional go-ahead to the Conad acquisition of Auchan in the grocery retail sector. Conad and Auchan were the first and seventh largest supermarket chains in Italy, respectively. By the concentration notified to the ICA in January 2020, BDC Italia Spa (BDC), a company incorporated and controlled by Conad, would acquire the whole capital share of Auchan. As a result, Auchan would transfer to Conad 291 points of sale of different size and format. The decision of the Italian Competition Authority The definition of relevant markets The relevant product markets affected by the planned merger were the retail markets for food