Press Release: Mergers: Commission approves merger between banana companies Chiquita and Fyffes, subject to conditions

The European Commission has authorised under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed merger between Chiquita Brands International of the US and Fyffes of Ireland. Whilst the merger brings together the number 1 and 2 suppliers of fresh bananas in Europe, the Commission's investigation found that healthy competition will be preserved in the relevant markets, thanks to the two companies' relatively low and decreasing overall share of banana imports into the main Northern European ports, competition from an increasing number of other players and the strong position of supermarkets, which develop their own private label bananas. However, in order to prevent any risk of shutting out competitors at the shipping level, the clearance is conditional upon Fyffes releasing the shipping company Maersk from an exclusivity clause and upon both Chiquita and Fyffes refraining in the future from agreeing similar exclusivity provisions with shipping companies or incentivising shipping companies to refuse to provide services for other banana companies.

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