Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11874 – FRASERS / XXL) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2025-06-12
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: Finland, Norway, Sweden, clothing, economic concentration, electronic commerce, footwear industry, merger control, retail trade, sport, sports equipment








C_202503226EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/3226


12.6.2025






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11874 – FRASERS / XXL)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2025/3226)


1.   
On 2 June 2025, 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:






—


Frasers Group plc (‘Frasers’, UK), controlled by Mr Mike Ashley,










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XXL A.S.A. (‘XXL’, Norway), publicly traded on the Oslo Stock Exchange and not currently controlled by any individual shareholder.




Frasers will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation control of the whole of XXL.
The concentration is accomplished by way of public bid announced on 14 April 2025.


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






—


Frasers is a group of companies active globally, mainly in the wholesale and retail sale across the following segments: (i) general sports and fitness goods (including footwear, apparel and equipment for activities such as football, running, boxing and training), (ii) premium lifestyle products (including footwear, clothing, beauty and homeware) and (iii) luxury products (including high-fashion brands across the categories of footwear, clothing, beauty and homeware). In the area of sports goods, it is mainly active through its SportsDirect stores and website.










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XXL is a sports retailer active in the Nordics with physical and online stores in Norway, Sweden, and Finland specialising in outdoor sports footwear, apparel and equipment for activities such as biking, hunting and skiing.






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 concentration 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.11874 – FRASERS / XXL
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/2025/3226/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)