Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11370 – CENTRAL / SELFRIDGES) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2023-11-29
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: catering industry, economic concentration, holding company, merchandising, merger control, property development, property market, retail trade








C_202301316EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series C













C/2023/1316


29.11.2023






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11370 – CENTRAL / SELFRIDGES)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2023/1316)


1.   
On 22 November 2023, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Harng Central Department Store Limited (‘Central Group’, Thailand), controlled by the Chirathivat Family,










—


Cambridge Retail Group Holding Limited (‘Cambridge Retail Group’, United Kingdom, controlled by Central Group and SIGNA Group.




Central Group will acquire sole control of Cambridge Retail Group within the meaning of Article 3(1), point (b) of the Merger Regulation.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:






—


Central Group is active in merchandising, real estate, retailing, hospitality and restaurants. In the EEA, Central Group owns and operates stores in Germany, Italy and Denmark as well conducts property development activities in Germany, Austria, Denmark and Italy,










—


Cambridge Retail Group is the holding company for the Selfridges store group, which is active in the retail of non-food products and to a lesser extent the retail of food. Selfridges store group’s retail business comprises three separate operating banners: Selfridges, De Bijenkorf and Brown Thomas & Arnotts, with stores located in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Ireland.






3.   
On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified treatment for certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


4.   
The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. The following reference should always be specified:
M.11370 – CENTRAL / SELFRIDGES
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu
Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







(1)  
            OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

(2)  
            OJ C 160, 5.5.2023, p. 1.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2023/1316/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)