Greencore / Bakkavor merger inquiry
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-18)

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating the anticipated acquisition by Greencore Group plc of Bakkavor Group plc.

Statutory timetable

Phase 1

Consultation: undertakings in lieu of reference

18 November 2025: The CMA is consulting on proposed undertakings in lieu of a reference to a Phase 2 investigation for the anticipated acquisition by Greencore Group plc of Bakkavor Group plc. The consultation period closes on 3 December 2025.
- Notice of consultation on undertakings in lieu (PDF, 164KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691c34a75a253e2c40d70649/_Notice_of_consultation_on_undertakings_in_lieu.pdf) (18.11.25)
- Proposed undertakings (PDF, 194KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691c4246e39a085bda43ee90/__Proposed_undertakings_Greencore_Bakkavor.pdf) (18.11.25)
CMA to consider undertakings offered

7 November 2025: The CMA considers that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the undertakings offered by Greencore Group plc, or a modified version of them, might be accepted by the CMA under the Enterprise Act 2002.

Decision that undertakings might be accepted (PDF, 224KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691c34e60dcbf6343e9a291c/_Greencore_Bakkavor_-_Decision_that_UILs_might_be_accepted.pdf) (18.11.25)

Press release: CMA proposes to accept remedies in supermarket supplier deal (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-proposes-to-accept-remedies-in-supermarket-supplier-deal) (7.11.25)

Reference unless undertakings accepted

27 October 2025: The CMA has decided, on the evidence currently available to it, that it is or may be the case that this merger may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within a market or markets in the United Kingdom. This merger will be referred for an in-depth, Phase 2 investigation unless the Parties offer an acceptable undertaking to address these competition concerns. The full text of the decision will be published shortly.

Full text decision (PDF, 481KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/691c350c84a267da57d7064b/Full_text_decision__Greencore_Bakkavor.pdf) (18.11.25)

Summary of phase 1 decision (PDF, 116KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68ff0ed7e200d653d8b637e1/Summary_of_phase_1_decision__2_.pdf) (27.10.25)

Launch of merger inquiry

1 September 2025: The CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry by notice to the parties.
- Commencement notice (PDF, 114KB) (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/68b1b198d723ba6f74dba81b/commencement_notice.pdf) (1.9.25)
Invitation to comment: closed

8 July 2025: The CMA is issuing this preliminary ‘invitation to comment’ to allow interested parties to submit to the CMA any initial views on the impact that the transaction could have on competition in the UK. The CMA has not yet launched its formal investigation into this transaction. This invitation to comment is the first part of the CMA’s information-gathering process.

To assist it with this assessment, the CMA invites comments on the transaction from any interested party.

Pre-notification

The CMA has received the necessary information from the parties to commence pre-notification.

Contact

Please send written representations about any competition or public interest to

xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Victoria Xia, Principal Case Officer: xx-xxxx-xxxx, xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx)

Privacy notice

Your name and contact details are your personal data. In collecting, receiving, storing, accessing and using your personal data, the CMA, as controller, is processing your personal data. The CMA processes personal data in accordance with data protection law. The CMA is processing your personal data so that it can contact you again, should it need further help or information from you, in order to carry out its merger work under Part 3 of the Enterprise Act 2002. For more information about how the CMA processes personal data and your rights relating to that data, please see our Privacy notice (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/competition-and-markets-authority/about/personal-information-charter).