The European Commission has referred the proposed acquisition of Czech retailer Plus Discount by German supermarket group Rewe to the Czech Competition Authority following a request by the regulatory body.

In a statement released today (4 July), the Commission said the takeover “would only affect competition in the Czech Republic”, arguing that the Czech authority would therefore be best placed to investigate its potential impact.

Rewe is active in food and non-food wholesale and retail, travel and tourism in a number of European countries. In the Czech Republic, the group operates under the brand names Penny (171 discount shops) and Billa (181 stores in the supermarket sector).

Plus Discount operates 146 discount shops in the Czech Republic under the brand name Plus.

The Czech Competition Authority requested the Commission to refer the notified transaction to it because it considers that the transaction would affect competition in a number of local retail markets within the Czech Republic.

In its submission, the Czech Competition Authority argued that the transaction would threaten to “significantly affect competition” in these markets.

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