Communication
The aim of the protection of market competition is primarily to create benefits for consumers and equal conditions for all entrepreneurs on the market, who, acting in accordance with the existing rules and competing on the market with the quality, price and innovation of their products and services, contribute to the overall development of the economy.
CCA approves merger between MLIN I PEKARE, PLODINEC, ALLIANZ ZB, PBZ CO and Čakovečki mlinovi
The Croatian Competition Agency (CCA) cleared in Phase I the concentration between the undertakings in the form of acquisition of direct controlling interest on a permanent basis over the undertaking Čakovečki mlinovi d.d., Čakovec by MLIN I PEKARE, PLODINEC, ALLIANZ ZB, PBZ CO (on its own behalf for the benefit of the funds).
The concentration will produce effects on the following relevant markets: the groceries retail market (primarily food, beverages, toiletries and household supplies); production and imports of bakery products; wholesale of bakery products; retail of bakery products; grain procurement (wheat and corn); flour production and wholesale: a) to industrial buyers and b) to retail chains and wholesalers. For all these markets, the territory of the Republic of Croatia is the relevant geographic market, except for the flour production market, that covers the EU area. Additionally, regarding the groceries retail market, the relevant areas include not only the territory of the Republic of Croatia but also the following counties: Varaždin, Zagreb, Krapina-Zagorje, Bjelovar-Bilogora, Osijek-Baranja, Požega-Slavonia, Međimurje, Primorje-Gorski Kotar, Virovitica-Podravina, Istria, and the City of Zagreb.
A detailed analysis of the available data for all identified relevant markets lead to the conclusion that in none of the identified relevant markets does the concentration result in a significant strengthening of the acquirer’s position. In the flour production market, even if a more narrowly defined market is considered, i.e., the territory of the Republic of Croatia, as well as in the entire EU region, the position of the participants to the concentration will not be significant in the post-merger period. Regarding the markets related to the bakery sector, the implementation of the proposed concentration will not impede competition in either the production or wholesale and retail of bakery products. There are numerous undertakings present in these markets that produce bakery products and participate in wholesale and retail, and additionally, from the perspective of the end consumers, besides the large market players in the sector concerned, there are also many undertakings active in the retail that are not part of large undertakings.
At the same time, in the retail market, both in the territory of the Republic of Croatia and in the observed counties, it is evident that there is no significant strengthening of the acquirer’s position. There is a large number of undertakings, particularly large retail chains, that are among the leading ones at the national level, as well as numerous undertakings that are not part of large undertakings.
Given that the concentration in question produces no significant effects in the relevant market, particularly taking into account that it does not create or strengthen a dominant position of its participants and as such cannot produce anticompetitive effects, the CCA cleared the notified concentration in the first phase.